Etodolac

Key facts

• Etodolac is an NSAID that relieves pain and reduces inflammation in conditions such as osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
• Tablets are usually taken once or twice a day with food. Pain relief can begin within an hour, though the anti-inflammatory effect builds over days.
• All NSAIDs, including etodolac, raise the risk of stomach ulcers, bleeding, and heart attack or stroke. The risk grows with higher doses, longer use, and existing heart or stomach disease.
• Seek urgent care for black or bloody stools, vomiting blood, chest pain, or sudden weakness on one side of the body.

What etodolac treats

Etodolac treats pain and inflammation from osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, and is also used for short-term pain such as after dental or minor surgical procedures. It does not treat the underlying joint disease, only its pain and swelling.

How etodolac works

Injured or inflamed tissue produces prostaglandins, chemicals that cause pain, swelling and fever. Etodolac blocks the cyclooxygenase (COX) enzymes that make prostaglandins, which reduces pain and inflammation at the site.

Before you take it

• Do not take etodolac if you have had an allergic reaction to it, asthma triggered by aspirin or another NSAID, or active stomach or intestinal bleeding.
• Avoid etodolac in the last three months of pregnancy, since NSAIDs can harm the baby's heart circulation and reduce amniotic fluid.
• Tell your doctor about heart disease, high blood pressure, kidney disease, or a history of ulcers; etodolac can worsen all of these.
• Combining etodolac with other NSAIDs, aspirin, blood thinners, or corticosteroids increases the risk of serious bleeding.

Side effects

Common effects include indigestion, nausea, headache and dizziness.

Stop and seek urgent medical care for any of these:

• Black, tarry or bloody stools, or vomit that looks like blood or coffee grounds.
• Chest pain, shortness of breath, or sudden weakness or slurred speech.
• Swelling of the face, lips or throat, or sudden difficulty breathing.
• Severe skin rash with blistering or peeling.

Safety essentials

• Take etodolac at the lowest effective dose for the shortest time needed. The risk of stomach bleeding and heart attack or stroke rises with dose and duration of use.
• Avoid etodolac in the third trimester of pregnancy, and use it only under medical advice earlier in pregnancy.
• Do not combine it with other NSAIDs or aspirin unless a doctor has told you to, since this multiplies the bleeding risk without adding pain relief.

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