FLEXEN "Retard" ® Ketoprofen

FLEXEN "Retard" © is a ketoprofen based drug

THERAPEUTIC GROUP: Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory and antirheumatic drugs

IndicationsAction mechanismStudies and clinical effectiveness Usage and dosage instructionsWarnings Pregnancy and lactationInteractionsContraindicationsUndesirable effects

Indications FLEXEN "Retard" ® Ketoprofen

FLEXEN "Retard" ® is indicated in the symptomatic treatment of pain associated with rheumatic and extrareumatic pathologies of the osteo-articular and muscular apparatus.

Mechanism of action FLEXEN "Retard" ® Ketoprofen

FLEXEN "Retard" ®, is a medicine based on ketoprofen, characterized by the particular chemical formulation of the capsule, which allows a prolonged release of the active ingredient over time, thus extending the anti-inflammatory action and reducing the frequency of taking the medicine.

More precisely, pharmacokinetic studies have shown how the oral intake of FLEXEN "Retard" ® can guarantee a very gradual absorption of ketoprofen, allowing the plasma peak to be reached only 8 hours after intake, thus facilitating the concentration of the active ingredient in place articulate and prolong its anti-inflammatory action.

From the molecular point of view, on the other hand, the therapeutic action is supported by the ability of ketoprofen to:

inhibit cyclooxygenases, limiting the formation of chemical mediators such as prostaglandins, involved in the genesis of the inflammatory process;
crossing the blood-brain barrier, performing the analgesic action at the level of the central nervous system;
reduce the production by granulocytes of reactive oxygen species involved in tissue damage.

Once its biological action is over, with estimated clearance times of 12-24 hours, ketoprofen, mainly in the form of inactive catabolites, is eliminated at the renal level.

Studies carried out and clinical efficacy

1. THE ANTI-PYRETIC ACTION OF KETOPROPHEN

Indian J Pediatr. 2009 Mar; 76 (3): 287-91. Epub 2009 Jan 5.

Work carried out on pediatric age patients between the ages of 1 and 14, in which the administration of ketoprofen has proved to be safe and effective also as an antipyretic, thus representing a valid alternative to classical therapy.

2. THE ALLERGIC EFFECTS OF KETOPROPHEN

Arch Toxicol. 2007 Oct; 81 (10): 743-8. Epub 2007 Mar 23.

Very interesting review that reaffirms the potential allergenic effect of ketoprofen, manifested above all with dermatological reactions of various nature such as erythema, skin rash, bullous reactions and photosensitivity, often the cause of unexpected burns.

3. KETOPROPHENES IN GYNECOLOGICAL PRACTICE

Lik Sprava. 2006 Apr-May; (3): 65-9.

Study that demonstrates how the use of ketoprofen in gynecology, can be particularly effective in the reduction of post-operative pain, preventing the development of syndromic conditions, often the cause of a delayed convalescence.

Method of use and dosage

FLEXEN "Retard" ®

Ketoprofen 200 mg prolonged release hard capsules.

The particular pharmacokinetic characteristics of FLEXEN "Retard" ® allow to treat most of the musculoskeletal painful diseases of inflammatory origin, for which treatment with ketoprofen is indicated, with the simple intake of one tablet a day immediately after the main meal .

However, the need to adjust the doses used in elderly patients or those with liver and kidney diseases should be remembered.

Warnings FLEXEN "Retard" ® Ketoprofen

The use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, including those on free sale, should always be preceded by a medical consultation, so that the therapeutic appropriateness and the possible presence of conditions incompatible with the administration of NSAIDs can be properly evaluated.

Particular caution in taking ketoprofen is also necessary in all those patients suffering from hepatic, renal, cardiovascular and gastro-enteric diseases for which non-steroid anti-inflammatory therapy could determine more frequently the appearance of side effects or exacerbation of symptoms already present.

In order to minimize the incidence of adverse events, it is suggested to consider therapy with FLEXEN "Retard" ® as a short-term symptomatological therapy, trying to use the minimum dosage able to carry out the wanted analgesic and anti-inflammatory effect.

PREGNANCY AND BREASTFEEDING

Taking FLEXEN "Retard" ® is contraindicated during pregnancy, given the potential side effects on fetal health, linked to the suppression of prostaglandin synthesis induced by non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

Different studies in fact show that the abuse of NSAIDs in this period can increase the incidence of fetal malformations of the respiratory and cardiovascular system as well as of spontaneous abortions.

Side effects could also be observed in the pregnant woman at the time of birth, given the increased risk of bleeding and the reduction in the frequency and intensity of uterine contractions.

Interactions

There are numerous possible drug interactions that see ketoprofen as the protagonist.

Among the clinically relevant ones it is possible to remember the interactions derived from the contextual assumption of:

Oral anticoagulants and inhibitors of serotonin reuptake, due to the increased risk of bleeding;
Diuretics, ACE inhibitors, angiotensin II antagonists, methotrexate and cyclosporine, due to potential nephrotoxic effects;
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory and corticosteroids, able to significantly increase lesions affecting the gastro-intestinal tract;
Antibiotics, given the significant variations in terms of therapeutic efficacy and metabolism;
Sulfonylureas, given the possible hypoglycemic action.

Contraindications FLEXEN "Retard" ® Ketoprofen

Taking FLEXEN "Retard" ® is contraindicated in patients who are hypersensitive to the active ingredient or to one of its excipients, hypersensitive to acetylsalicylic acid and other analgesics, suffering from hepatic, renal and cardiac insufficiency, bleeding diathesis, intestinal bleeding, ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease or past history for the same conditions.

Undesirable effects - Side effects

Despite the intake of ketoprofen, especially if carried out at particularly high dosages or carried out for particularly long periods of time, it may be associated with the appearance of serious pathological manifestations, affecting the gastro-intestinal apparatus, the central nervous system, the skin, of kidney and liver, therapy with FLEXEN "Retard" ® seems to be well tolerated and at most accompanied by gastro-enteric manifestations.

Nausea, dyspepsia, constipation, diarrhea, heartburn, gastric ulcers and bleeding in more severe cases are the most frequently observed adverse reactions during FLEXEN "Retard" ® therapy.

Different clinical trials also demonstrate how the abuse of ketoprofen and NSAIDs in general can be associated with the onset or clinical aggravation of hepatic, renal and cardiovascular diseases.