Non-steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drug (NSAID) Allergy
Overview
What are NSAIDs?
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) are a group of medications that are often prescribed for strong pain relief, or to treat various types of inflammation.
What are examples of NSAIDs?
This is a list of commonly prescribed NSAIDs in Singapore. Note that this list does not include all NSAIDs.
- Aspirin
- Diclofenac (e.g. Voltaren, Cataflam)
- Mefenamic acid (e.g. Ponstan)
- Ibuprofen (e.g. Brufen, Nurofen)
- Indomethancin (e.g. Indocid)
- Naproxen (e.g. Synflex, Naprosyn)
- Ketorolac (e.g. Toradol)
Additional Resources
Care Management
What precautions do I need to take if I have NSAID allergy?
- Check with the pharmacist when buying over the counter medications to ensure that these do not contain NSAIDs or paracetamol (if you are sensitive to paracetamol).
- Do not take traditional medicines if you are not sure about their contents.
- Use physical forms of relief for fever such as drinking a lot of fluids, using cold sponges and cold compresses if you cannot take paracetamol.
Although selective COX-2 inhibitors are possible alternatives such as celecoxib (Celebrex) and etoricoxib (Arcoxia), some people who are extremely sensitive to NSAID may also develop similar reactions. You should undergo a drug test to COX-2 inhibitor and not try them on your own.
