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NSAIDs Warnings and Precautions
Diabetes and asthma are among the conditions you should let your healthcare provider know about before taking NSAIDs. Also, NSAIDs should be used with caution in people with high blood pressure or congestive heart failure. A few other precautions and warnings with NSAIDs include the safety of taking them while pregnant or nursing, the risk of a heart attack or stroke, and people who should not take NSAIDs.
NSAIDs: What Should I Tell My Healthcare Provider?
Prior to taking NSAIDs, you should tell your healthcare provider if you have:- Asthma
- Heart disease, including congestive heart failure
- High blood pressure (hypertension)
- Liver disease or failure
- Kidney disease or failure
- Bleeding problems (or if you are taking medicine that decreases your blood's ability to clot)
- Diabetes
- Nasal polyps
- Systemic lupus erythematosus (lupus or SLE)
- Stomach ulcers (or a history of them) or stomach bleeding
- Any allergies to medicines, including aspirin or other NSAID pain medicines.
Also, let your healthcare provider know if you:
- Are pregnant or thinking about becoming pregnant
- Are breastfeeding
- Drink alcohol frequently
- Smoke
- Are having or have recently had heart surgery.
In addition, tell your healthcare provider about all of the medicines you take, including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.
Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD