diflunisal vs piroxicam
Side-by-side comparison of diflunisal and piroxicam Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.
moderate Known Drug Interaction
NSAIDs and Salicylates Clinical Impact: Concomitant use of piroxicam with other NSAIDs or salicylates (e.g., diflunisal, salsalate) increases the risk of GI toxicity, with little or no increase in efficacy [see Warnings and Precautions (5.2) ].
Recommendation: Avoid taking these two medicines at the same time to protect your stomach from damage.
Dolobid
Feldene
Diflunisal is a medicine that can help with pain and swelling. It belongs to a class of drugs called NSAIDs.
Piroxicam is a medicine that reduces pain and swelling. It belongs to a class of drugs called NSAIDs.
Diflunisal can help with mild to moderate pain. It can also treat the symptoms of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. You should use the lowest dose that works for you, for the shortest time needed.
Piroxicam helps to relieve the pain and swelling from osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Osteoarthritis is a joint problem that usually affects older people. Rheumatoid arthritis is a disease that causes joint pain, swelling, and stiffness.
Diflunisal reduces pain and swelling by blocking the production of certain chemicals in your body. These chemicals cause inflammation and pain. By blocking them, diflunisal helps to relieve your symptoms.
Piroxicam works by reducing substances in the body that cause pain and inflammation. It blocks the production of prostaglandins. Prostaglandins contribute to inflammation and pain.
- • Nausea
- • Vomiting
- • Upset stomach
- • Stomach pain
- • Diarrhea
- • Nausea
- • Constipation
- • Gas
- • Abdominal pain
- • Diarrhea
- Feeling sick to your stomach 66
- Feeling very tired 57
- Discomfort or aching 50
- Allergic reaction to the medicine 47
- Pain in your head 45
- Allergic reaction to the medicine 940
- Skin rash 874
- Joint pain 861
- Condition made worse 857
- Medicine not working 836
NSAIDs like diflunisal can increase your risk of heart problems like heart attack and stroke, which can be deadly. This risk is higher if you take it for a long time. You should not take diflunisal if you are having heart bypass surgery. NSAIDs also raise your risk of serious stomach problems like bleeding and ulcers, which can also be deadly. Older adults are at higher risk for these stomach problems.
Piroxicam may increase your risk of serious heart problems like heart attack or stroke, which can be fatal. This risk may happen early in treatment and increase with longer use. Piroxicam can also increase your risk of serious stomach and intestine problems, including bleeding, ulcers, and holes, which can be fatal. You should not take piroxicam if you are having heart bypass surgery.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Taking diflunisal late in pregnancy may harm your baby. It is not known if diflunisal passes into breast milk, so talk to your doctor before breastfeeding.
Taking piroxicam during the last 3 months of pregnancy may harm your unborn baby. Avoid using piroxicam starting at 30 weeks of pregnancy. Piroxicam may also affect fertility and make it harder to get pregnant.
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How to Read This diflunisal vs piroxicam Comparison
diflunisal is classified in the Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug (NSAID) drug class, while piroxicam sits within the Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug (NSAID) class. Because both drugs share the same classification, they are often considered interchangeable in theory — but clinical outcomes rarely track that cleanly. Both drugs are prescription-only, so a licensed provider must authorize use.
Adverse event totals above are pulled from the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). For these top-ranked reactions alone, diflunisal has 265 submissions while piroxicam has 4,368. Those figures reflect cumulative reporting volume — not per-patient risk — so older, widely dispensed drugs typically look worse on count alone. These two drugs have a known moderate interaction flagged in FDA labeling, attributed to taking these two similar pain medicines together increases the risk of serious stomach damage without providing any extra relief.. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.
A table cannot substitute for clinical judgment. Effectiveness, tolerability, drug-drug interactions with your other medications, kidney and liver function, pregnancy status, insurance formulary, and price all feed into a decision that only a licensed prescriber can make responsibly. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This page is for educational purposes only, is not medical advice, and should not be used to self-switch between diflunisal and piroxicam — always consult your physician or pharmacist first.
Important: This comparison is for informational purposes only. Drug effects vary between individuals. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist for personalized medical advice.