Aceclofenac

Key facts

• Aceclofenac is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) that reduces pain, swelling, and stiffness in conditions such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and ankylosing spondylitis.
• You take it with food, usually twice a day, at the lowest dose that controls symptoms for the shortest time you need it.
• Like other NSAIDs, aceclofenac carries a well-established risk of heart attack, stroke, and serious gastrointestinal bleeding; this risk rises with higher doses, longer use, and existing heart or vascular disease.
• Seek urgent care for black or bloody stools, vomiting blood, chest pain, sudden weakness, or slurred speech.

What aceclofenac treats

Aceclofenac treats pain and inflammation from osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and ankylosing spondylitis, and is also used short-term for musculoskeletal pain such as sprains and strains, and for menstrual cramps. It eases symptoms but does not slow joint damage or change the underlying disease course.

How aceclofenac works

Injured or inflamed tissue produces prostaglandins, chemical messengers that widen blood vessels, sensitise nerve endings, and drive swelling. Aceclofenac blocks cyclo-oxygenase (COX), the enzyme that makes prostaglandins, throughout the body. With fewer prostaglandins, pain signals and inflammation ease, but the same blockade also removes protective prostaglandins in the stomach lining and kidneys, which is the source of the drug's main risks.

Before you take it

• Do not take aceclofenac if you have an active stomach or duodenal ulcer or bleeding, severe heart failure, or if you are in the last trimester of pregnancy.
• Tell your doctor about a history of heart attack, stroke, high blood pressure, kidney disease, or previous ulcers, since these raise your risk on any NSAID.
• Tell your prescriber about other NSAIDs, aspirin, blood thinners, and blood-pressure medicines, since combining them raises bleeding and kidney risks.
• Avoid aceclofenac if you have ever had an allergic reaction, including asthma, hives, or swelling, to aspirin or another NSAID.

Side effects

Common effects include stomach upset, heartburn, headache, dizziness, and mild rash.

Stop and seek urgent medical care for any of these:

• Black or tarry stools, vomiting blood, or severe stomach pain.
• Sudden chest pain, weakness on one side, slurred speech, or shortness of breath.
• Swelling of the face, lips, or throat, or a severe skin rash.

Safety essentials

• Aceclofenac carries the same cardiovascular and gastrointestinal bleeding risk as other NSAIDs; use the lowest effective dose for the shortest time, and never combine it with another NSAID or aspirin without medical advice.
• Avoid it in the last trimester of pregnancy, since NSAIDs can affect the baby's circulation and reduce the fluid around the baby.
• Tell any doctor or dentist treating you that you take aceclofenac before surgery or a procedure, since it affects bleeding and kidney function.

This page is educational and does not replace advice from a doctor or pharmacist who knows your health history.