Before Using

Drug information provided by: Merative, Micromedex®

Allergies

Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to medicines in this group or any other medicines. Also tell your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully.

Pediatric

Do not give aspirin or other salicylates to a child or a teenager with a fever or other symptoms of a virus infection, especially flu or chickenpox, without first discussing its use with your child's doctor. This is very important because salicylates may cause a serious illness called Reye's syndrome in children and teenagers with fever caused by a virus infection, especially flu or chickenpox.

Some children may need to take aspirin or another salicylate regularly (as for arthritis). However, your child's doctor may want to stop the medicine for a while if a fever or other symptoms of a virus infection occur. Discuss this with your child's doctor, so that you will know ahead of time what to do if your child gets sick.

Children who do not have a virus infection may also be more sensitive to the effects of salicylates, especially if they have a fever or have lost large amounts of body fluid because of vomiting, diarrhea, or sweating. This may increase the chance of side effects during treatment.

Geriatric

Elderly people are especially sensitive to the effects of salicylates. This may increase the chance of side effects during treatment.

Pregnancy

Salicylates have not been shown to cause birth defects in humans. Studies on birth defects in humans have been done with aspirin but not with other salicylates. However, salicylates caused birth defects in animal studies.

Some reports have suggested that too much use of aspirin late in pregnancy may cause a decrease in the newborn's weight and possible death of the fetus or newborn infant. However, the mothers in these reports had been taking much larger amounts of aspirin than are usually recommended. Studies of mothers taking aspirin in the doses that are usually recommended did not show these unwanted effects. However, there is a chance that regular use of salicylates late in pregnancy may cause unwanted effects on the heart or blood flow in the fetus or in the newborn infant.

Use of salicylates, especially aspirin, during the last 2 weeks of pregnancy may cause bleeding problems in the fetus before or during delivery or in the newborn infant. Also, too much use of salicylates during the last 3 months of pregnancy may increase the length of pregnancy, prolong labor, cause other problems during delivery, or cause severe bleeding in the mother before, during, or after delivery. Do not take aspirin during the last 3 months of pregnancy unless it has been ordered by your doctor.

Studies in humans have not shown that caffeine (present in some aspirin products) causes birth defects. However, studies in animals have shown that caffeine causes birth defects when given in very large doses (amounts equal to those present in 12 to 24 cups of coffee a day).

Breastfeeding

Salicylates pass into the breast milk. Although salicylates have not been reported to cause problems in nursing babies, it is possible that problems may occur if large amounts are taken regularly, as for arthritis (rheumatism).

Caffeine passes into the breast milk in small amounts.

Drug Interactions

Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking any of these medicines, it is especially important that your healthcare professional know if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.

Using medicines in this class with any of the following medicines is not recommended. Your doctor may decide not to treat you with a medication in this class or change some of the other medicines you take.

  • Abrocitinib
  • Defibrotide
  • Dichlorphenamide
  • Influenza Virus Vaccine, Live
  • Ketorolac
  • Methenamine

Using medicines in this class with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.

  • Abciximab
  • Acarbose
  • Aceclofenac
  • Acemetacin
  • Acenocoumarol
  • Acetazolamide
  • Alclometasone
  • Aldosterone
  • Alipogene Tiparvovec
  • Alteplase, Recombinant
  • Amcinonide
  • Amikacin
  • Amiloride
  • Amineptine
  • Amitriptyline
  • Amitriptylinoxide
  • Amoxapine
  • Amoxicillin
  • Amphotericin B
  • Amtolmetin Guacil
  • Anagrelide
  • Anisindione
  • Apixaban
  • Ardeparin
  • Argatroban
  • Asciminib
  • Aspirin
  • Azathioprine
  • Bacitracin
  • Balsalazide
  • Beclomethasone
  • Bemetizide
  • Bemiparin
  • Benazepril
  • Bendroflumethiazide
  • Benzthiazide
  • Betamethasone
  • Betrixaban
  • Bismuth Subsalicylate
  • Bivalirudin
  • Brinzolamide
  • Bromfenac
  • Budesonide
  • Bufexamac
  • Bumetanide
  • Cangrelor
  • Caplacizumab-yhdp
  • Capmatinib
  • Capreomycin
  • Captopril
  • Celecoxib
  • Certoparin
  • Chlorothiazide
  • Chlorpropamide
  • Chlorthalidone
  • Choline Magnesium Trisalicylate
  • Choline Salicylate
  • Ciclesonide
  • Cilostazol
  • Cisplatin
  • Citalopram
  • Clobetasol
  • Clobetasone
  • Clocortolone
  • Clomipramine
  • Clonixin
  • Clopamide
  • Clopidogrel
  • Cortisone
  • Curcumin
  • Cyclopenthiazide
  • Cyclosporine
  • Cyclothiazide
  • Dabigatran Etexilate
  • Dalteparin
  • Danaparoid
  • Darolutamide
  • Deflazacort
  • Desipramine
  • Desirudin
  • Desmopressin
  • Desonide
  • Desoximetasone
  • Desvenlafaxine
  • Dexamethasone
  • Dexibuprofen
  • Dexketoprofen
  • Diazoxide
  • Dibenzepin
  • Diclofenac
  • Dicumarol
  • Diflorasone
  • Diflucortolone
  • Diflunisal
  • Difluprednate
  • Digoxin
  • Dipyridamole
  • Dipyrone
  • Dorzolamide
  • Dothiepin
  • Doxepin
  • Droxicam
  • Duloxetine
  • Edoxaban
  • Eltrombopag
  • Emtricitabine
  • Enalapril
  • Enalaprilat
  • Enasidenib
  • Encorafenib
  • Enoxaparin
  • Eplerenone
  • Epoprostenol
  • Eptifibatide
  • Escitalopram
  • Ethacrynic Acid
  • Etodolac
  • Etofenamate
  • Etoricoxib
  • Etozolin
  • Felbinac
  • Fenoprofen
  • Fepradinol
  • Feprazone
  • Feverfew
  • Floctafenine
  • Flucloronide
  • Fludrocortisone
  • Flufenamic Acid
  • Flumethasone
  • Flunisolide
  • Fluocinolone
  • Fluocinonide
  • Fluocortin
  • Fluocortolone
  • Fluorometholone
  • Fluoxetine
  • Flurandrenolide
  • Flurbiprofen
  • Fluticasone
  • Fluvoxamine
  • Fondaparinux
  • Foscarnet
  • Fosinopril
  • Fosphenytoin
  • Furosemide
  • Gentamicin
  • Ginkgo
  • Glimepiride
  • Glipizide
  • Glyburide
  • Gossypol
  • Halcinonide
  • Halobetasol
  • Heparin
  • Hydrochlorothiazide
  • Hydrocortisone
  • Hydroflumethiazide
  • Ibrutinib
  • Ibuprofen
  • Iloprost
  • Imipramine
  • Indapamide
  • Indomethacin
  • Inotersen
  • Itraconazole
  • Kanamycin
  • Ketoprofen
  • Leflunomide
  • Leniolisib
  • Lepirudin
  • Levoketoconazole
  • Levomilnacipran
  • Lisinopril
  • Lithium
  • Lofepramine
  • Lornoxicam
  • Loteprednol
  • Loxoprofen
  • Lumiracoxib
  • Macimorelin
  • Magnesium Salicylate
  • Meadowsweet
  • Meclofenamate
  • Medrysone
  • Mefenamic Acid
  • Melitracen
  • Meloxicam
  • Melphalan
  • Mercaptopurine
  • Mesalamine
  • Metformin
  • Methazolamide
  • Methotrexate
  • Methyclothiazide
  • Methylprednisolone
  • Metolazone
  • Midostaurin
  • Milnacipran
  • Moexipril
  • Momelotinib
  • Mometasone
  • Morniflumate
  • Nabumetone
  • Nadroparin
  • Naproxen
  • Nateglinide
  • Nefazodone
  • Neomycin
  • Nepafenac
  • Netilmicin
  • Nicorandil
  • Niflumic Acid
  • Nimesulide
  • Nimesulide Beta Cyclodextrin
  • Nortriptyline
  • Olsalazine
  • Opipramol
  • Oxaprozin
  • Oxyphenbutazone
  • Paramethasone
  • Parecoxib
  • Parnaparin
  • Paromomycin
  • Paroxetine
  • Pemetrexed
  • Pentosan Polysulfate Sodium
  • Pentoxifylline
  • Perindopril
  • Phenindione
  • Phenprocoumon
  • Phenylbutazone
  • Phenyl Salicylate
  • Phenytoin
  • Piketoprofen
  • Piracetam
  • Piretanide
  • Piroxicam
  • Plazomicin
  • Polythiazide
  • Porfimer
  • Potassium Citrate
  • Pranoprofen
  • Prasugrel
  • Prednicarbate
  • Prednisolone
  • Prednisone
  • Proglumetacin
  • Propyphenazone
  • Proquazone
  • Protein C
  • Protriptyline
  • Quinapril
  • Quinethazone
  • Ramipril
  • Repaglinide
  • Reteplase, Recombinant
  • Reviparin
  • Rimexolone
  • Rivaroxaban
  • Rofecoxib
  • Salicylamide
  • Salicylic Acid
  • Salsalate
  • Selexipag
  • Selumetinib
  • Sertraline
  • Sibutramine
  • Sodium Salicylate
  • Spectinomycin
  • Spirapril
  • Spironolactone
  • Streptomycin
  • Sulfasalazine
  • Sulfinpyrazone
  • Sulindac
  • Sulodexide
  • Tacrolimus
  • Tafamidis
  • Tenofovir Alafenamide
  • Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate
  • Tenoxicam
  • Teriflunomide
  • Tianeptine
  • Tiaprofenic Acid
  • Ticagrelor
  • Ticlopidine
  • Tinzaparin
  • Tirofiban
  • Tobramycin
  • Tolazamide
  • Tolbutamide
  • Tolfenamic Acid
  • Tolmetin
  • Torsemide
  • Trandolapril
  • Trazodone
  • Treprostinil
  • Triamcinolone
  • Triamterene
  • Trichlormethiazide
  • Trimipramine
  • Trolamine Salicylate
  • Turmeric
  • Valdecoxib
  • Valproic Acid
  • Vancomycin
  • Varicella Virus Vaccine, Live
  • Venlafaxine
  • Vilazodone
  • Vorapaxar
  • Vortioxetine
  • Warfarin
  • Xipamide

Other Interactions

Certain medicines should not be used at or around the time of eating food or eating certain types of food since interactions may occur. Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medicines may also cause interactions to occur. Discuss with your healthcare professional the use of your medicine with food, alcohol, or tobacco.

Other Medical Problems

The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of medicines in this class. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

  • Anemia or
  • Overactive thyroid or
  • Stomach ulcer or other stomach problems—Salicylates may make your condition worse.
  • Asthma, allergies, and nasal polyps (history of) or
  • Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency or
  • High blood pressure (hypertension) or
  • Kidney disease or
  • Liver disease—The chance of side effects may be increased.
  • Gout—Salicylates can make this condition worse and can also lessen the effects of some medicines used to treat gout.
  • Heart disease—The chance of some side effects may be increased. Also, the caffeine present in some aspirin products can make some kinds of heart disease worse.
  • Hemophilia or other bleeding problems—The chance of bleeding may be increased, especially with aspirin.

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Portions of this document last updated: May 01, 2024

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