Drug interactions
Ibuprofen / famotidine + Iron
Severity: Moderate
Ibuprofen / famotidine and Iron: moderate interaction.
Last updated
For healthcare professionals — reference only. This page is a brief summary, not medical advice and not a substitute for official labeling or clinical judgement. Always verify before prescribing or dispensing.
Summary
Famotidine raises gastric pH, which can reduce dissolution and absorption of oral non-heme iron salts. Over time this may blunt the response to oral iron therapy.
What this interaction means in plain words
Ibuprofen / famotidine and Iron can affect each other. The combination is often manageable, but it may need a change of dose, a change of timing, or extra checks while both are taken.
Why it happens
Reduced gastric acidity decreases solubility and conversion of ferric iron to the absorbable ferrous form.
What to do
Monitor hemoglobin and ferritin response to oral iron. Consider taking iron with vitamin C or at a time away from famotidine, or switch to intravenous iron if the response is poor.
What to ask your pharmacist
- Should I take them at different times of day?
- Does the dose of either medicine need to change?
- Is there anything I should avoid, such as alcohol or certain foods, while on both?
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Other interactions of Iron
- Acetohydroxamic acid + Iron Moderate
- Aluminum hydroxide + Iron Moderate
- Baloxavir marboxil + Iron Moderate
- Calcium acetate + Iron Moderate
- Calcium carbonate + Iron Moderate
- Calcium citrate + Iron Moderate
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Ibuprofen / famotidine with Iron?
MediHelp rates the interaction as moderate. Ibuprofen / famotidine and Iron can affect each other. The combination is often manageable, but it may need a change of dose, a change of timing, or extra checks while both are taken. Famotidine raises gastric pH, which can reduce dissolution and absorption of oral non-heme iron salts. Over time this may blunt the response to oral iron therapy.
How serious is the interaction between Ibuprofen / famotidine and Iron?
MediHelp rates it moderate, on a four-level scale (minor, moderate, major, contraindicated) based on published labels and references. What to do, in brief: Monitor hemoglobin and ferritin response to oral iron. Consider taking iron with vitamin C or at a time away from famotidine, or switch to intravenous iron if the response is poor.
What other medicines interact with Iron?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Iron with, for example, Acetohydroxamic acid, Aluminum hydroxide, Baloxavir marboxil. The full list is on the Iron page.
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