ABOUT THE SAFETY OF ANALGESICS IN CHILDREN

Safety problems limit the use of many analgesics and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in pediatrics. Since the 1980s when a cause-and-effect relation was found between acetylsalicylic acid intake and Reye’s syndrome, paracetamol has become the most widely used antipyretic in pediatrics. However, its use is associated with significant morbidity and mortality primarily caused by hepatotoxicity in overdose. Moreover, the results of numerous pharmacoepidemiological studies may suggest that the use of paracetamol is associated with an increased risk of asthma in adults and children, including those exposed to intrauterine paracetamol. In this connection, ibuprofen as an alternative to paracetamol attracts increasingly more attention. The paper gives the data of randomized controlled and pharmacoepidemiological studies that confirm the safety and good tolerability of ibuprofen in pediatric care.

analgesics, pediatrics, safety, paracetamol, ibuprofen