Rapidol 400 mg film-coated tablets – ibuprofen for pain, fever and cold symptoms

Rapidol is a medicine in the form of film-coated tablets containing 400 mg of ibuprofen, a medicine from the group of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Ibuprofen relieves pain, lowers fever and reduces inflammation.

It is intended for short-term relief of mild to moderate pain – headache, migraine, toothache, period pain, muscle pain, back pain and rheumatic pain – as well as fever and pain associated with colds and flu, in adults and adolescents aged 12 years and over weighing at least 40 kg. In Serbia it is supplied without a prescription, in packs of 20 tablets.

What is Rapidol 400 mg used for and how should it be taken correctly?

Key information about the medicine

What is Rapidol used for?

According to the package leaflet, Rapidol is used for short-term symptomatic treatment of:

• mild to moderate pain – headache, migraine, toothache, period pain (dysmenorrhoea), muscle pain, back pain and rheumatic pain;
• fever, raised body temperature and pain associated with the common cold and flu.

The medicine is intended for adults and adolescents aged 12 years and over with a body weight of at least 40 kg.

How is Rapidol used and dosed?

• Adults and adolescents ≥ 40 kg (12 years and over): 1 tablet (400 mg) with water, up to 3 times a day if needed.
• Interval between two doses must not be shorter than 6 hours.
• Maximum daily dose: 3 tablets (1200 mg) in 24 hours.
• How to take it: preferably during or after a meal, with plenty of fluid. Swallow the tablets whole – do not chew, crush or suck them, to avoid an unpleasant feeling in the mouth and throat irritation. The medicine can also be taken on an empty stomach for a faster onset of action.
• Duration: use the lowest effective dose for the shortest time. Adults should see a doctor if the medicine is needed for more than 3 days for migraine or fever, or more than 5 days for pain; adolescents 12–18 years – if it is needed for more than 3 days or symptoms worsen.

Special patient groups

• Children under 12 years and adolescents weighing less than 40 kg must not take Rapidol 400 mg.
• Elderly patients have a higher risk of side effects, particularly bleeding and perforation of the digestive tract, which can be fatal – special caution is needed.
• Kidney or liver impairment: the medicine is contraindicated in severe disease; in milder impairment, talk to a doctor before use. The risk of kidney damage is higher in dehydrated people, especially children, adolescents and the elderly.

Contraindications – when the medicine must not be used

• allergy to ibuprofen or any of the excipients;
• allergic reactions (difficulty breathing, blocked nose, rash) after taking acetylsalicylic acid or another NSAID;
• stomach or duodenal ulcer, recurrent ulcers or bleeding, or previous stomach or bowel bleeding or perforation caused by NSAIDs;
• severe liver or kidney disease and severe heart failure;
• increased tendency to bleed;
• third trimester of pregnancy;
• children under 12 years and adolescents weighing less than 40 kg.

Precautions and warnings

Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before use if:

• you have asthma, chronic rhinitis or allergies – the medicine may cause breathing difficulties, hives or serious allergic reactions;
• you have systemic lupus erythematosus or mixed connective tissue disease (increased risk of aseptic meningitis);
• you have impaired kidney or liver function, inflammatory bowel disease or have had a stomach ulcer;
• you have heart disease (heart failure, angina, previous heart attack, bypass surgery), peripheral arterial disease or have had a stroke or TIA, or you have high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, a family history of heart disease or you smoke;
• you are dehydrated or have an infection.

Ibuprofen may slightly increase the risk of heart attack and stroke, especially at high doses – do not exceed the recommended dose or duration. The medicine may mask symptoms of an infection (fever, pain); if symptoms persist or worsen, see a doctor immediately. Use should be avoided during chickenpox. Prolonged use of painkillers can cause headaches that should not be treated with more painkillers. Ibuprofen may affect female fertility (reversibly). The medicine is essentially sodium-free.

Interactions with other medicines, food and drink

Do not combine different painkillers without medical advice. Ibuprofen may affect the action of other medicines (or they may affect it), including:

• acetylsalicylic acid and other NSAIDs; anticoagulants and antiplatelet medicines (warfarin, dicoumarol, ticlopidine);
• blood pressure medicines (ACE inhibitors, beta blockers, angiotensin II antagonists) and diuretics;
• methotrexate, lithium, digoxin, corticosteroids and SSRI antidepressants;
• ciclosporin and tacrolimus, aminoglycoside antibiotics, voriconazole and fluconazole;
• sulfonylureas (diabetes), cholestyramine and zidovudine.

Food and alcohol: the medicine can be taken with food and drink; alcohol may increase side effects.

Pregnancy and breast-feeding

Rapidol must not be used in the third trimester of pregnancy, as it may harm the unborn child (kidneys and heart) and affect labour and bleeding tendency. In the first 6 months of pregnancy it should only be taken if absolutely necessary and on a doctor's advice, at the lowest dose for the shortest time; after week 20, use for more than a few days may cause reduced amniotic fluid or narrowing of the ductus arteriosus in the baby. Ibuprofen passes into breast milk, but harm to the infant is unlikely with short-term use; ask a doctor about more frequent use while breast-feeding. It is not recommended while trying to conceive.

Driving and using machines

In some people Rapidol may reduce the ability to react because of visual disturbances, dizziness or drowsiness, especially in combination with alcohol. Bear this in mind when driving or doing work that requires attention.

Possible side effects

• Common (up to 1 in 10 people): headache, dizziness, indigestion, diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, bloating, constipation, black stools, bleeding in the stomach and bowel, vomiting blood, rash, tiredness.
• Uncommon (up to 1 in 100): inflammation of the nasal lining, hypersensitivity, insomnia, anxiety, visual and hearing disturbances, bronchospasm and asthma, mouth ulcers, stomach or duodenal ulcer (sometimes with perforation), hepatitis and jaundice, itching, bruising, sensitivity to light, impaired kidney function, blood count changes and anaemia, angioedema, agranulocytosis.
• Rare (up to 1 in 1,000): aseptic meningitis, allergic reaction, depression or confusion, impaired vision, ringing in the ears, fluid retention.
• Very rare (up to 1 in 10,000): pancreatitis, liver failure, severe skin reactions (Stevens-Johnson syndrome, toxic epidermal necrolysis).
• Frequency not known: worsening of ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease, heart failure, heart attack, high blood pressure, DRESS syndrome, acute generalised exanthematous pustulosis, Kounis syndrome.

Overdose, missed dose and stopping treatment

• Overdose: if you have taken more than you should, or a child has taken the medicine by accident, always contact a doctor or the nearest healthcare facility. Symptoms may include nausea, stomach pain, vomiting (possibly with blood), headache, ringing in the ears and confusion, and at high doses loss of consciousness, convulsions, blood in the urine and breathing problems.
• Missed dose: do not take a double dose to make up for a forgotten one.
• Stopping: the medicine is taken as needed and for a short time; stop taking it once the symptoms have gone.

Related information

If you have frequent headaches or migraine, it helps to keep a diary of attacks and triggers and to drink enough fluids regularly. If you need painkillers on more than 10–15 days a month, talk to your doctor.

For additional support with headaches, see also the category Headaches, migraines and vertigo – products in this category do not replace the medicine you need.

Composition, pack and manufacturer

• Active substance: ibuprofen – 400 mg per film-coated tablet.
• Excipients – core: colloidal anhydrous silica; croscarmellose sodium; microcrystalline cellulose; magnesium stearate; stearic acid; maize starch. Film coating: hypromellose; talc; macrogol 400; titanium dioxide (E171).
• Appearance: white, oblong, biconvex film-coated tablets, about 16.1 mm long, with a score line on both sides.
• Pack: PVC/PVDC-Alu blister with 10 tablets; 2 blisters (20 film-coated tablets) per carton.
• Marketing authorisation holder and manufacturer: PharmaSwiss d.o.o., Batajnički drum 5A, Belgrade.
• Authorisation number: 000454977 2023 dated 17.12.2024.

Storage

• This medicine does not require any special storage conditions.
• Shelf life: 5 years. Do not use after the expiry date stated on the pack.
• Keep out of the sight and reach of children. Return unused medicine to a pharmacy that collects unused medicines.

Frequently asked questions

How many Rapidol 400 mg tablets can I take in a day?

No more than 3 tablets (1200 mg) in 24 hours, with at least 6 hours between doses. Higher doses do not significantly increase the effect but do increase the risk of side effects.

Can I give Rapidol to a child?

Rapidol 400 mg is not intended for children under 12 years or adolescents weighing less than 40 kg. For younger children there are special ibuprofen forms adapted to age and body weight – ask a pharmacist or paediatrician.

Can I take Rapidol with paracetamol or aspirin?

Rapidol should not be combined with other NSAIDs, including acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin), unless a doctor recommends it. For any combination of painkillers, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

How long can I take Rapidol without seeing a doctor?

Adults for no more than 3 days for migraine or fever and no more than 5 days for pain; adolescents aged 12 to 18 for no more than 3 days. If symptoms last longer or worsen, see a doctor.

Sources

• ALIMS – Package leaflet, Rapidol 400 mg film-coated tablets (PIL, Serbian)
• ALIMS – Summary of Product Characteristics, Rapidol 400 mg (SmPC, Serbian)

Sources checked on: 25 October 2026.