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Why should women with preeclampsia avoid NSAIDS?

Why should women with preeclampsia avoid NSAIDS?
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Avatar universal
According to my nursing school teacher in this weeks lecture:
NSAIDs are contraindicated w/ preeclampsia (pts. w/ elevated BP > 1 day) b/c NSAIDs affect prostaglandins in the kidneys. Prostaglandins cause vasodilation in the kidneys, increasing blood flow to the area.
NSAIDs act as anti-prostaglandins, causing vasoconstriction and decreasing renal perfusion pressure
They also increase BP.
As far as ASA goes, it is actually recommended in low doses (60-80 mg) prophylactically for women with high risk of severe preeclampia only. (Does cross placenta, but reduces risk for those at risk of severe preeclampsia, NOT low or mod risk)
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1524811 tn?1333241301
ur original question was asking about pregnant women, so that's why you got answers regarding pregnancy.  I've never had preeclampsia & never heard that you couldn't use NSAIDs post delivery if you had preeclampsia. sorry I can't help more
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Avatar universal
I realise that pregnant women should not take NSAIDs but there is a specific reason why women with PET should avoid NSAIDs after delivery (therefore not pregnant) - diclofenac (brufen) is a commonly used analgesic post-delivery. I think it has something to do with the way the drugs are metabolised by the liver and/or excreted by the kidneys, both of which are already working suboptimally because of PET but I was hoping that somebody knew the specifics? Thanks.
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Avatar universal
Mellisa_1982 is right. I thought women were supposed to avoid NSAIDs all together when pregnant. I took one pill of motrin when i was pregnant with my 2nd because i had a headache so bad i couldnt even walk, i went to the doc the next day and he gave me a sono because of how worried i was. Anything containing Aspirin you should completely avoid during pregnancy.
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1524811 tn?1333241301
Pregnant women PERIOD should NOT take NSAIDS.  In some cases including Preeclampsia taking NSAIDS may actually be beneficial.  

Since MedHelp doesn't like posting other website links I'll copy & paste the Info I found direct from babycenter.  Hope it helps.

Is it safe to take aspirin during pregnancy?


Expert Answers

The BabyCenter Editorial Team
In most cases, no. While it's highly unlikely that taking a single dose of aspirin in early or mid-pregnancy will have a harmful affect, the drug can cause problems for both you and your baby if you take it regularly in normal adult doses while you're pregnant. So, except in a few cases, it's best to avoid aspirin altogether during this time.

Here's why: Studies have linked aspirin to various pregnancy complications. A few studies show that taking aspirin around the time of conception and in early pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of miscarriage. And some researchers believe that taking aspirin at adult doses during pregnancy might affect the baby's growth and may slightly increase the risk of a placental abruption.

Finally, taking full-dose aspirin later in pregnancy might delay labor and increase the risk of heart and related lung problems in your newborn and bleeding complications for you and your baby.

On the other hand, if you're already taking a prescribed dose of aspirin for a specific condition, you may need to continue taking it during pregnancy. (Check with your healthcare provider.)

In certain situations, your caregiver may advise you to start taking a small dose of aspirin each day, usually similar to the amount in one baby aspirin. Most experts believe low-dose aspirin therapy is safe during pregnancy.

For example, some experts recommend that pregnant women with a condition called antiphospholipid syndrome take a low dose of aspirin in addition to a drug called heparin. Antiphospholipid syndrome is diagnosed in women who have certain antibodies in their blood and who also have a history of blood clots or some types of pregnancy problems.

Some research shows that certain women at high risk for preeclampsia (including women with chronic hypertension, severe diabetes, or kidney disease, or who had severe preeclampsia in a prior pregnancy) may benefit from low-dose aspirin therapy, although not everyone agrees on who is a good candidate for this treatment, when it should begin, and what the optimal dose is.

So unless your healthcare provider prescribes it, you should avoid taking aspirin altogether, as well as other NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), naproxen sodium (Aleve), and ketoprofen (Orudis), which can have similar effects.

Check the labels of all over-the-counter drugs to make sure they don't contain aspirin or other NSAIDs. Better yet, check with your caregiver or pharmacist. It can be hard to tell because some products list their ingredients under different names. Aspirin is sometimes called salicylate or acetylsalicylic acid, for example.

When you need to take something for pain relief while you're pregnant, acetaminophen (Tylenol) is considered safe to use as directed on the label.
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1548028 tn?1324612446
Preeclampsia can affect your liver function and NSAIDS can also with a liver already at risk.  Can cause liver damage or failure.  
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