Olfen – composition, action, indications, dosage. How is Oflen used?

Proven content

Olfen is a prescription NSAID. It has a general effect and is used in the symptomatic treatment of many ailments. However, it is worth taking special care when taking this drug, because inappropriate use of the drug can lead to serious side effects.

Olfen – what is this drug?

Olfen is a medicine that belongs to a group of medicines called non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), which are used to treat pain and inflammation. The active substance is diclofenac sodium. Olfen is available in different doses to suit the severity of your symptoms:

1. 100 mg,
2. 75 mg,
3. 50 mg,
4. 25 mg.

Olfen relieves symptoms of inflammation such as swelling and pain. It does not affect the causes of inflammation and fever. Olfen can be used to treat pain and inflammation in:

1. acute inflammation of the joints,
2. chronic inflammation of the joints, in particular rheumatoid arthritis (chronic arthritis),
3. ankylosing spondylitis (Bechterew’s disease) and other inflammatory rheumatic diseases of the spine,
4. disorders caused by osteoarthritis and inflammation of the joints of the spine,
5. rheumatic inflammation of soft tissues,
6. painful swelling or inflammation following an injury.

Remember that the dosage of the drug should always be determined by a doctor. If in doubt, make an online teleconsultation with the option of obtaining an e-prescription at haloDoctor.pl. There you will find answers to all your questions.

Olfen – action

The active substance in Olfen, diclofenac sodium, is a non-steroidal compound with anti-rheumatic, anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antipyretic properties.

It is suspected that the main mechanism of action is inhibition of prostaglandin biosynthesis, which has also been confirmed experimentally. Prostaglandins play an essential role in the pathogenesis of inflammation, pain and fever.

Read: Fever – causes, types, antipyretic drugs. Home remedies for fever

How to dose Olfen?

The dosage of Olfen depends on the form of the drug the patient is taking. Below is a detailed description of the dosage of Olfen depending on the formulation:

Dosage of Olfen 25 (25 mg)

The recommended dose for adults is 2 to 6 tablets a day (50 to 150 mg of the active ingredient diclofenac sodium), unless otherwise prescribed by your doctor. If you are taking more than two tablets a day, separate the doses you take as much as possible over the day, e.g. two tablets before breakfast, two before lunch and two before dinner.

Children and youth

For the acute treatment of fever associated with ear, nose or throat (ENT) infections and post-operative pain, the following doses should be used:

Children 9 – 11 years old weighing 35 – 44 kg

Single dose: 1 tablet (= 25 mg diclofenac sodium)

Maximum daily dose: 1 tablet twice daily (= 50 mg diclofenac sodium).

Children and adolescents aged 12-16 years weighing 45-55 kg

Single dose: 1 tablet (= 25 mg diclofenac sodium),

Maximum daily dose: 1 tablet twice a day (= 50 mg diclofenac sodium) to 1 tablet four times a day (= 100 mg diclofenac sodium).

Olfen 25 must not be used in children under 9 years of age.

Dosage of Olfen 50 (50 mg)

adults

The recommended dose for adults is 1 to 3 tablets a day (50 to 150 mg of the active ingredient diclofenac sodium), unless otherwise prescribed by your doctor.

Children and youth

Olfen 50 50 mg film-coated tablets are not recommended for use in children and adolescents under 14 years of age.

Dosage of Olfen 75 SR (75 mg)

adults

The recommended dose is 1 to 2 tablets a day (75 to 150 mg of the active ingredient diclofenac sodium), unless otherwise prescribed by your doctor. If you are taking more than one tablet in a day, split the dose during the day, for example, one tablet before breakfast and one before dinner.

Children and youth

Olfen 75 SR should not be used by children and adolescents.

Dosage Olfen 100 SR (100 mg)

adults

The recommended starting daily dose is 100 to 150 mg. The recommended dose for adults is 1 capsule a day (100 mg of the active ingredient diclofenac sodium), unless your doctor tells you otherwise. If necessary, therapy can be combined with a dose of 25 mg or 50 mg in the form of tablets or rectal capsules up to a maximum dose of 150 mg of the active ingredient diclofenac sodium per day.

Children and youth

Do not use Olfen 100 SR in children and adolescents.

See: Aspirin and NSAIDs fight cancer

Olfen – contraindications

The main contraindications to the use of Olfen are:

1. hypersensitivity to the active substance or to any of the excipients,
2. active peptic ulcer, gastric and / or duodenal disease, gastrointestinal bleeding or perforation,
3. history of gastrointestinal bleeding or perforation, related to previous NSAID therapy. Active or recurrent peptic ulcer and / or haemorrhage (two or more separate cases of proven ulceration or bleeding)
4. the last trimester of pregnancy,
5. severe liver, kidney or heart failure
6. As with other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), Olfen (100 mg) should also not be used in people whose administration of acetylsalicylic acid or other drugs that inhibit prostaglandin synthesis may be causing an attack of asthma, urticaria, or acute mucositis nose,
7. diagnosed with congestive heart failure (NYHA class II-IV), ischemic heart disease, peripheral vascular disease and / or cerebrovascular disease.

Read: Aspirin and NSAIDs fight cancer

Olfen – precautions

Before using any form of Olfen, read the package leaflet carefully and take all precautions. You should know that taking Olfen at the lowest dose for the shortest time necessary to relieve symptoms reduces the risk of side effects.

The concomitant use of diclofenac with other systemically acting NSAIDs, including selective cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitors, should be avoided due to the lack of evidence regarding the benefits of the combination and the potential for a potential increase in side effects.

Olfen should be used with caution in the elderly. In elderly, debilitated or low weight patients, it is recommended to use the lowest effective dose.

As with other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), including diclofenac, allergic reactions, including anaphylactic and anaphylactoid reactions, may rarely occur, even when the medicinal product has not been used before.

Hypersensitivity reactions can also develop into Kounis syndrome, a severe allergic reaction that can lead to a heart attack. Symptoms of such reactions may include chest pain, related to an allergic reaction to diclofenac.

As with other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), diclofenac sodium, the active ingredient in Olfen, may mask the signs and symptoms of infection due to the pharmacodynamic properties of the medicinal product.

In addition, if you are taking Olfen, always tell your doctor before you start that you:

1. is an active smoker,
2. have a history of gastrointestinal disturbances such as stomach ulcers, bleeding or black stools, or have had stomach problems or heartburn after taking NSAIDs in the past
3. you have inflammation of the colon (ulcerative colitis) or gastrointestinal tract (Crohn’s disease),
4. has or has ever had heart problems or high blood pressure
5. have kidney or liver problems
6. have swelling of the feet, angina, blood clots, high blood pressure, raised cholesterol or triglycerides
7. have a bleeding disorder or other blood diseases, including a rare liver disease called porphyria
8. has diabetes,
9. consumes alcohol,
10. have used medications with acetylsalicylic acid, corticosteroids, “blood thinners” or certain antidepressants
11. has bronchial asthma,
12. is allergic.

You should not breast-feed if you are taking Olfen as this medicine may be harmful to the infant.

Also read: An anti-inflammatory drug may help prevent skin cancer

Olfen – interactions with other drugs

Tell the doctor or pharmacist about all the drugs that the patient is taking or has recently taken, as well as about the drugs that are planned to be taken. It is especially important to tell your doctor if you are taking any of the following medicines:

1. lithium or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (medicines used to treat certain types of depression),
2. cardiac glycosides (e.g. digoxin), used to treat heart disease
3. diuretics (drugs that increase the amount of urine),
4. angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors or beta blockers (a group of drugs used to treat high blood pressure and heart failure)
5. other anti-inflammatory drugs (such as acetylsalicylic acid / aspirin or ibuprofen)
6. corticosteroids (medicines used to relieve inflammation)
7. anticoagulants (drugs that prevent blood clotting),
8. anti-diabetic drugs, except insulin,
9. methotrexate (a medicine used to treat certain types of cancer or arthritis)
10. vyclosporin (a medicine used in people after organ transplants),
11. antibacterial quinolones (medicines used against infections),
12. phenytoin (an anti-epileptic drug)
13. colestipol and cholestyramine (antiatherosclerotic medicine)
14. sulfinpyrazone (a medicine to treat gout)
15. voriconazole (a medicine to treat fungal infections)
16. mifepristone (a drug used in gynecology),
17. diclofenac resinate.

Olfen – side effects

Olfen can cause some side effects which may or may not occur. It is important to know that if you experience any side effects after consuming Olfen, you should see your doctor. Here are the common side effects:

1. Headache,
2. dizziness,
3. nausea,
4. vomiting,
5. diarrhea,
6. indigestion,
7. stomach pain,
8. flatulence
9. loss of appetite
10. hepatic dysfunction (e.g. increased levels of transaminases),
11. skin rash.

Rare side effects:

1. somnolence,
2. hives
3. edema.

You should also stop taking Olfen and contact your doctor immediately if you notice:

1. mild, painful cramps and tenderness of the abdomen starting soon after starting Olfen, followed by rectal bleeding or bloody diarrhea, generally within 24 hours of the onset of abdominal pain (frequency not known – cannot be estimated from the available data) ,
2. chest pain – chest pain which may be a symptom of a potentially serious allergic reaction called Kounis syndrome.