Pharmacist Álvaro Fernández on the indiscriminate use of ibuprofen: "It can have serious consequences."

Álvaro Fernández, a pharmacist known for his outreach work on social media, has spoken out against the indiscriminate use of ibuprofen , one of the most popular medications in Spain. In a video posted on TikTok , the expert explained a common scene in the daily life of a pharmacy worker.

"A woman told me she took an ibuprofen every morning 'just in case,'" Fernández began. In response to this comment, the pharmacist responded that she was taking the medication incorrectly: "You don't take it as a preventative measure; you take it when you're in pain."

The pharmacist's comment, which he uses in his characteristically friendly and humorous tone, serves to denounce a problem he considers increasingly common: the normalization of self-medication with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) . "Taken chronically, it can have serious consequences," he warned, emphasizing that the fact that it's sold over the counter doesn't mean it's harmless.

Fernández warns about the effects that prolonged use of ibuprofen can have on vital organs like the kidneys , to the point of requiring dialysis. The risk increases in people with pre-existing conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol, or being overweight.

But it's not just the kidneys that are at risk. "It can cause gastric or duodenal ulcers or digestive bleeding," he noted, reiterating the need to always consult a professional before taking any medication on your own.

Despite the scientific evidence, Fernández regrets that her warnings don't always resonate. "He told me that wasn't true because it was sold over the counter, and I had no idea ," she recalls with a laugh. An anecdote that, although told with humor, reflects the lack of awareness about the risks of self-medication.