Posted by yxibow on May 30, 2006, at 23:27:58
In reply to Out there suggestion (, posted by alohashirt on May 28, 2006, at 21:27:55
> Research suggests that ephedra is 20 more dangerous than amphetamines. Research also suggests that ibuprofen, aspirin & tylenol is many, many times more dangerous than ephedra.
That goes out on a bit of a limb... aspirin has been in use for 107 years, not to mention willow bark for about 2500 years. It also carries risks of overdose but its therapeutic window is wider than Tylenol. It also is used in low dose therapy to prevent stroke and heart attack for those who don't need warfarin regimes.
Tylenol is another question -- it is a frequent (please don't do this as it is awful) method of suicide in England (paracetamol) and other countries. If you dont survive with gastric lavage, you have to have a liver transplant. It is a drug that has a safe but narrow therapeutic index, more so in adults than children.It is an important drug, as it is the only other generally available antipyretic other than aspirin for fevers and does not carry the risk of Reye's syndrome for children and teenagers with high fevers. There are no other antipyretics that I am aware of besides aspirin and acetaminophen. Other NSAIDs provide little antipyretic activity compared to the prior.
Ibuprofen has the lowest incidence of gastrointestinal problems of all the NSAIDs, however long term use of any COX inhibitors has shown the infamous problems with certain recent COX targeted medications. Nonetheless, under about 1.2 grams a day, ibuprofen is relatively harmless, at least in the short term. It has only been around for about 35 years or so, so we don't know completely what NSAIDs do over a lifetime.Ephedra on the other hand, especially in a minor's body has dangerous consequences, being far more stimulative and dangerous to the heart than pseudoephedrine and linked to heart attacks and strokes, the exact opposite of aspirin and warfarin therapy.
poster:yxibow
thread:649420
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20060530/msgs/650765.html