Naproxen

Naproxen /nəˈprɒksən/ (INN; brand names: Aleve, Naprosyn and many others) is a nonselective COX inhibitor; usually sold as the sodium salt, naproxen is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) of the propionic acid class (which puts it in the same class as ibuprofen) commonly used for relief of a wide variety of pain, fever, swelling and stiffness.

It is the preferred NSAID for long-term use in people with a high risk of cardiovascular (for example, heart attacks or strokes) complications, due to its relatively low risk of causing such complications. Naproxen has an intermediate risk of causing stomach ulcers as compared with ibuprofen, which is low-risk, and indometacin, which is high-risk. In order to reduce the risk of stomach ulceration, it is often combined with a proton-pump inhibitor (a medication that reduces the production of stomach acid) during long-term treatment, in those with pre-existing stomach ulcers, or a history of developing stomach ulcers while on NSAIDs.