Dosage
The dosage of ibuprofen depends on the age, weight and intensity of pain. Depending on which other medications are taken by the treated person, these can also have an influence on the exact dosage. Ibuprofen 400 contains 400 mg active ingredient per tablet.
The maximum daily dose of ibuprofen for self-medication is 1200 mg for adults and adolescents over 12 years of age with a body weight of at least 40 kg. This corresponds to three 400 mg tablets spread over the day. As a single dose no more than 200-400 mg should be taken, i.e. 1⁄2 to 1 tablet.
On doctor’s advice, the daily dose may be increased to 2400 mg in adults. Children between 10 and 12 years of age with a weight between 30-39 kg may take up to 800 mg or four half tablets a day, but not more than 200 mg per single dose. Children between six and nine years of age weighing between 20 and 29 kg may take up to 600 mg ibuprofen a day and up to 200 mg per single dose.
If a child’s weight and age are between two of the three categories, weight can be used as a guide. This is because from a pharmacological point of view the dose per kilogram of body weight is the more relevant factor than age.However, children under six years of age should never take ibuprofen, regardless of the dose. The dosage is independent of the type of pain.
That is, whether it is toothache, back pain or headache, the recommended dosage should not be exceeded. It is always advisable to start with a low dose and increase it accordingly if there is no improvement. Depending on the manufacturer and additives in the respective preparations, the recommendations for dosage may vary slightly. It is worth taking a look at the package insert.
Why is ibuprofen 400 available over the counter and 600/800 not?
Ibuprofen 400 is a common pain reliever that is inexpensive for the individual and relatively low in side effects, which is why it is available without a prescription. Ibuprofen 600 and 800, on the other hand, are potentially more dangerous and more likely to cause side effects simply because of their higher dosage. In addition, overdoses can occur more quickly if the drug dose is higher from the outset.
To prevent this, and since the higher dosage is of course also somewhat more expensive, ibuprofen 600 and 800 are available only on prescription. Basically, whether a drug is only available on prescription is decided in Germany on the basis of the German Drug Prescription Ordinance. Prescription-only means that a drug can only be bought in a pharmacy on presentation of a doctor’s prescription.
Several factors are taken into account when deciding whether a drug is over-the-counter or prescription-only. First of all, the type of medicine and the frequency and extent of side effects are decisive. From a political and economic point of view, it is also important how important the drug is for the person to be treated in order to live well and healthily.
Most over-the-counter drugs are not covered by statutory health insurance. So if it is medically and pharmacologically justifiable, taking into account possible side effects and the need for a drug, it is sold over the counter. This relieves the financial burden on the health insurance companies, which in turn means that actually expensive drugs can be financed by the insurance companies in order to relieve the burden on the individual insured.
