Brief Communication: Duration of Platelet Dysfunction after a 7-Day Course of Ibuprofen

Abstract

Despite a paucity of evidence, clinicians routinely advise that patients discontinue using nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), including ibuprofen, at least 1 week before most surgical procedures. To define the duration of ibuprofen-induced platelet dysfunction. Prospective cohort study. Denver/Aurora, Colorado. 11 healthy adult volunteers. Individuals were tested at baseline and serially after completion of a 7-day course of ibuprofen (600 mg orally every 8 hours). The platelet function analyzer (PFA-100, Dade Behring, Newark, Delaware), a test that has replaced the bleeding time in many clinical settings, was used. All participants exhibited normal platelet function before starting ibuprofen. Platelet dysfunction was apparent after completion of the ibuprofen course in 7 of the 11 participants and normalized by 24 hours after the last ibuprofen dose. The sample size in this study was small, and no participants had a major illness. Correlation between PFA-100 results and clinical bleeding has not been established. Platelet function seems to normalize within 24 hours after cessation of regular ibuprofen use in healthy individuals. Further studies are warranted to provide a rational basis for timing of NSAID withdrawal in a range of patients undergoing surgery.