The effects of diflunisal on bleeding time and platelet aggregation in a multidose study

Diflunisal, a potent nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agent, has been confirmed as an effective analgesic in oral surgery. It is generally stated that there is only slight impairment of coagulation at the recommended dosage of diflunisal; however, only a few multidose studies have been conducted, most being single dose studies. This report is of a multidose study of the effects of diflunisal on coagulation in 15 oral surgery patients, being the first such study reported. The results showed that the bleeding time was increased in 53% of the group, but in no case did the increase exceed the upper limit of normal. Additionally, platelet aggregation studies were affected in 38% of patients with increased bleeding time. The overall results substantiate the safety of diflunisal in relation to effect on coagulation, and are directly applicable to postoperative use in oral surgery.