Salicylates (Systemic)

Brand name(s): "Acuprin 81"

Before Using This Medicine

If you are taking this medicine without a prescription, carefully read and follow any precautions on the label. For salicylates, the following should be considered:

Allergies-Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to aspirin or other salicylates, including methyl salicylate (oil of wintergreen), or to any of the following medicines:

• Diclofenac (e.g., Voltaren)
• Diflunisal (e.g., Dolobid)
• Etodolac (e.g., Lodine)
• Fenoprofen (e.g., Nalfon)
• Floctafenine (e.g., Idarac)
• Flurbiprofen, oral (e.g., Ansaid)
• Ibuprofen (e.g., Motrin)
• Indomethacin (e.g., Indocin)
• Ketoprofen (e.g., Orudis)
• Ketorolac (e.g., Toradol)
• Meclofenamate (e.g., Meclomen)
• Mefenamic acid (e.g., Ponstel)
• Nabumetone (e.g., Relafen)
• Naproxen (e.g., Naprosyn)
• Oxaprozin (e.g., Daypro)
• Oxyphenbutazone (e.g., Tandearil)
• Phenylbutazone (e.g., Butazolidin)
• Piroxicam (e.g., Feldene)
• Sulindac (e.g., Clinoril)
• Suprofen (e.g., Suprol)
• Tenoxicam (e.g., Mobiflex)
• Tiaprofenic acid (e.g., Surgam)
• Tolmetin (e.g., Tolectin)
• Zomepirac (e.g., Zomax)

Also tell your health care professional if you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives, or dyes.

Diet-Make certain your health care professional knows if you are on a low-sodium diet. Regular use of large amounts of sodium salicylate (as for arthritis) can add a large amount of sodium to your diet. Sodium salicylate contains 46 mg of sodium in each 325-mg tablet and 92 mg of sodium in each 650-mg tablet.

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).

Breast-feeding-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.

Children-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.

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

Other medicines-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 a salicylate, it is especially important that your health care professional know if you are taking any of the following:

• Anticoagulants (blood thinners) or
• Carbenicillin by injection (e.g., Geopen) or
• Cefamandole (e.g., Mandol) or
• Cefoperazone (e.g., Cefobid) or
• Cefotetan (e.g., Cefotan) or
• Dipyridamole (e.g., Persantine) or
• Divalproex (e.g., Depakote) or
• Heparin or
• Inflammation or pain medicine, except narcotics, or
• Pentoxifylline (e.g., Trental) or
• Plicamycin (e.g., Mithracin) or
• Ticarcillin (e.g., Ticar) or
• Valproic acid (e.g., Depakene)-Taking these medicines together with a salicylate, especially aspirin, may increase the chance of bleeding

• Antidiabetics, oral (diabetes medicine you take by mouth)-Salicylates may increase the effects of the antidiabetic medicine; a change in dose may be needed if a salicylate is taken regularly

• Ciprofloxacin (e.g., Cipro) or
• Enoxacin (e.g., Penetrex) or
• Itraconazole (e.g., Sporanox) or
• Ketoconazole (e.g., Nizoral) or
• Lomefloxacin (e.g., Maxaquin) or
• Norfloxacin (e.g., Noroxin) or
• Ofloxacin (e.g., Floxin) or
• Tetracyclines (medicine for infection), taken by mouth-Buffered aspirin, choline and magnesium salicylates, and magnesium salicylate may keep these medicines from working properly if taken too close to them

• Methotrexate (e.g., Mexate) or
• Vancomycin (e.g., Vancocin)-The chance of serious side effects may be increased

• Probenecid (e.g., Benemid)-Salicylates can keep probenecid from working properly for treating gout

• Sulfinpyrazone (e.g., Anturane)-Salicylates can keep sulfinpyrazone from working properly for treating gout; also, taking a salicylate, especially aspirin, with sulfinpyrazone may increase the chance of bleeding

• Urinary alkalizers (medicine that makes the urine less acid, such as acetazolamide [e.g., Diamox], calcium- and/or magnesium-containing antacids, dichlorphenamide [e.g., Daranide], methazolamide [e.g., Neptazane], potassium or sodium citrate and/or citric acid, sodium bicarbonate [baking soda])-These medicines may make the salicylate less effective by causing it to be removed from the body more quickly

Other medical problems-The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of salicylates. 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

Last Revised: 07/25/1995