Meloxicam

Key facts

• Meloxicam (sold as Mobic) is an NSAID taken once daily for osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and other joint conditions.
• Effects on pain and stiffness usually build over several days of regular use.
• Like all NSAIDs, it carries a risk of heart attack, stroke and serious stomach bleeding, a risk that rises with long-term use, higher doses and existing heart disease.
• Seek urgent care for chest pain, sudden weakness or slurred speech, vomiting blood, or black, tarry stools.

What meloxicam treats

Meloxicam treats the pain, swelling and stiffness of osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis, forms of joint inflammation that build up over time. It is meant for ongoing joint conditions rather than a single acute injury.

How meloxicam works

Meloxicam blocks cyclooxygenase (COX) enzymes, reducing production of prostaglandins, chemical messengers that drive inflammation, pain and fever. At the doses used for arthritis, it acts more on the COX-2 enzyme involved in inflammation than on COX-1, which helps protect the stomach lining, though this does not remove the bleeding risk.

Before you take it

• Do not take meloxicam if you have had an allergic reaction, including asthma or hives, to aspirin or another NSAID, or around heart bypass surgery.
• Avoid it in the third trimester of pregnancy: NSAIDs can cause premature narrowing of a fetal blood vessel and reduce amniotic fluid.
• Tell your prescriber about stomach ulcers, kidney disease, heart disease, high blood pressure, or use of blood thinners, aspirin, steroids or other NSAIDs, since combining these raises bleeding risk.
• Long-term use needs periodic checks of kidney function and blood pressure.

Side effects

Common effects include stomach upset, headache, dizziness and mild diarrhea.

Stop and seek urgent medical care for:

• Vomiting blood or black, tarry stools, which can signal stomach bleeding.
• Chest pain, sudden weakness or slurred speech, which can signal a heart attack or stroke.
• Blistering or peeling skin, a sign of a severe skin reaction.
• Swelling of the legs and ankles or a marked drop in urination, which can signal kidney trouble.

Safety essentials

• Meloxicam, like all NSAIDs, can cause a heart attack, stroke or serious stomach bleeding, sometimes without warning symptoms beforehand; use the lowest dose for the shortest time that controls your symptoms.
• Do not combine it with other NSAIDs or aspirin unless your prescriber advises otherwise.
• Avoid it in the third trimester of pregnancy because of the risk to the fetal heart vessels, and have kidney function checked periodically if you take it long-term.

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