Patient Leaflet Updated 12-Feb-2024 | THE BOOTS COMPANY PLC
Boots Ibuprofen 400 mg Tablets
Boots Ibuprofen 400mg Tablets
This medicine is available without prescription to treat minor conditions. However, you still need to take it carefully to get the best results from it.
This medicine contains Ibuprofen which belongs to a group of medicines called non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), which act to relieve pain and reduce swelling. It can be used in adults and adolescents weighing from 40kg (12 years of age and above) to relieve headaches, rheumatic and muscular pain, pain from non-serious arthritic conditions, backache, migraine, period pain, dental pain and neuralgia. It can also be used to reduce fever and relieve the symptoms of colds and flu.
This medicine can be taken by adults and children aged 12 years and over. However, some people should not take this medicine or should seek the advice of their pharmacist or doctor first.
If you are taking Ibuprofen 400mg Tablets for longer than the recommended time or at higher than recommended doses you are at risk of serious harms. These include serious harms to the stomach/gut and kidneys, as well as very low levels of potassium in your blood. These can be fatal (see section 'Possible side effects').
Signs of an allergic reaction to this medicine, including breathing problems, swelling of the face and neck region (angioedema), chest pain have been reported with ibuprofen. Stop taking this medicine immediately and immediately contact your doctor or medical emergency department if you notice any of these signs.
Anti-inflammatory/painkiller medicines like ibuprofen may be associated with a small increased risk of heart attack or stroke, particularly when used at high doses. Do not exceed the recommended dose or duration of treatment.
Serious skin reactions including exfoliative dermatitis, erythema multiforme, Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS), toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN), drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS) and acute generalised exanthematous pustulosis (AGEP) have been reported in association with ibuprofen treatment. Stop using this medicine and seek medical attention immediately if you notice any of the symptoms related to these serious skin reactions described in section 'Possible side effects'.
If you take other medicines
Before you take these tablets, make sure that you tell your doctor or pharmacist about ANY other medicines you might be using at the same time. Ibuprofen may affect or be affected by some other medicines. For example:
Pregnancy: Do not take this medicine if you are in the last 3 months of pregnancy as it could harm your unborn child or cause problems at delivery. It can cause kidney and heart problems in your unborn baby. It may affect your and your baby’s tendency to bleed and cause labour to be later or longer than expected.
You should not take this medicine during the first 6 months of pregnancy unless absolutely necessary and advised by your doctor. If you need treatment during this period or while you are trying to get pregnant, the lowest dose for the shortest time possible should be used. If taken for more than a few days from 20 weeks of pregnancy onward, this medicine can cause kidney problems in your unborn baby that may lead to low levels of amniotic fluid that surrounds the baby (oligohydramnios) or narrowing of a blood vessel (ductus arteriosus) in the heart of the baby. If you need treatment for longer than a few days, your doctor may recommend additional monitoring.
Breast-feeding: If you are breast-feeding, ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice before taking this medicine.
Women of childbearing age: If you take this medicine, it may reduce your ability to become pregnant. This effect will be reversed when you stop the medicine.
This medicine contains lactose monohydrate. If you have been told by your doctor that you have an intolerance to some sugars, contact your doctor before taking this medicine.
This medicine contains less than 1 mmol sodium (23 mg) per tablet, that is to say essentially ‘sodium-free’.
Check the foil is not broken before use. If it is, do not take that tablet.
Adults and children of 12 years and over: Take one tablet every 4 hours, if you need to.
Don't take more than 3 tablets in 24 hours.
Take the lowest amount for the shortest possible time to relieve your symptoms. If you have an infection, consult a doctor without delay if symptoms (such as fever and pain) persist or worsen (see section Infections).
Swallow each tablet with water. Do not give to children under 12 years. Do not take more than the amount recommended above.
In adults: If your symptoms worsen or do not go away within 10 days, talk to your doctor.
In children and adolescents (aged 12-18 years old): If this medicinal product is required for more than 3 days, or if symptoms worsen, talk to your doctor.
If you take more tablets than you should: If you have taken more tablets than you should, or if children have taken the medicine by accident always contact a doctor or nearest hospital to get an opinion on the risk and advice on action to be taken.
The symptoms can include nausea, stomach pain, vomiting (may be blood streaked), headache, ringing in the ears, confusion and shaky eye movement. At high doses, drowsiness, chest pain, palpitations, loss of consciousness, convulsions (mainly in children), weakness and dizziness, blood in urine, cold body feeling, and breathing problems have been reported.
Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them.
Side effects may be minimised by taking the lowest dose for the shortest time necessary to relieve the symptoms. You may suffer one of the known side effects of NSAIDs (see below). If you do, or if you have concerns, stop taking this medicine and talk to your doctor as soon as possible. Elderly people using this product are at increased risk of developing problems associated with side effects. STOP TAKING this medicine and seek immediate medical help if you develop:
STOP taking this medicine and tell your doctor if you experience the following uncommon side effects, which may affect up to 1 in 100 people:
Tell your doctor if you have any of the following side effects, they become worse or you notice any effects not listed:
Uncommon: may affect up to 1 in 100 people
Rare: may affect up to 1 in 1,000 people
Very rare: may affect up to 1 in 10,000 people
Not known: frequency cannot be estimated from the data
Ibuprofen 400mg Tablets, especially when taken at higher than recommended doses or for a prolonged period of time, can cause damage to your kidneys and affect them removing acids properly from your blood into the urine (renal tubular acidosis). It can also cause very low levels of potassium in your blood (see section 'Other important information'). This is a very serious condition and will require immediate treatment. Signs and symptoms include muscle weakness and light-headedness.
If any of the side effects gets serious or if you notice any side effects not listed in this leaflet, please stop taking the product immediately and tell your doctor or pharmacist.
If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. You can also report side effects directly via the Yellow Card Scheme Website: www.mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard or search for MHRA Yellow Card in the Google Play or Apple App Store. By reporting side effects you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.
Store below 25°C.
Store in the original package.
Keep this medicine in a safe place out of the sight and reach of children, preferably in a locked cupboard.
Use by the date on the end flap of the carton.
Each tablets contains Ibuprofen 400 mg, which is the active ingredient.
As well as the active ingredient, the tablets also contain microcrystalline cellulose, lactose monohydrate, hypromellose, croscarmellose sodium, sodium laurilsulfate, magnesium stearate, french chalk, colloidal silicon dioxide, titanium dioxide (E171).
The pack contains 24, 48 or 96 white capsule shaped tablets. Not all pack sizes may be marketed.
Manufactured for the Marketing Authorisation holder
Manufacturer responsible for batch release:
Leaflet prepared January 2024.
If you would like any further information about this medicine, please contact
Artwork reference number: WBA-5761 R2
1 Thane Road West, Beeston, Nottingham, NG2 3AA
+44 (0)1159 592 565
+44 (0)1159 595 165