etodolac vs indomethacin
Side-by-side comparison of etodolac and indomethacin Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.
Lodine
Indocin
Etodolac is a pain reliever and anti-inflammatory medicine. It helps reduce pain, swelling, and stiffness caused by arthritis and other conditions.
Indomethacin is a drug that reduces pain and swelling. It belongs to a class of drugs called NSAIDs.
Etodolac treats the symptoms of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. It can help with pain and swelling in your joints. Etodolac is also used for short-term relief of acute pain.
Indomethacin treats moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and osteoarthritis. It can also help with acute painful shoulder (bursitis or tendinitis) and gouty arthritis. This medicine reduces pain and swelling in your joints.
Etodolac is an NSAID, which stands for Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug. It works by reducing substances in the body that cause pain and inflammation. It can help to reduce fever as well.
Indomethacin works by blocking substances in the body that cause pain and inflammation. These substances are called prostaglandins. By blocking them, indomethacin helps to reduce swelling, pain, and stiffness.
- • Upset stomach
- • Constipation
- • Diarrhea
- • Gas
- • Heartburn
- • Headache
- • Dizziness
- • Upset stomach
- • Nausea
- The medicine is not working 362
- Pain 350
- Feeling sick to your stomach 290
- Joint pain 284
- Tiredness 273
- The medicine is not working 1,369
- Feeling tired 1,102
- Joint pain 1,002
- Head pain 990
- Using the medicine for a different purpose than approved 939
NSAIDs like etodolac can increase your risk of heart attack or stroke, which can be fatal. This risk may happen early in treatment and increases with longer use. You should not take etodolac if you are having heart bypass surgery. NSAIDs also increase the risk of serious stomach problems like bleeding and ulcers, which can be fatal. Older adults are at higher risk for these stomach problems.
Indomethacin may increase your risk of serious heart problems like heart attack or stroke, which can be fatal. This risk may occur early in treatment and may increase with longer use. You should not take this medicine before or after heart bypass surgery (CABG). Indomethacin can also increase your risk of serious stomach and intestine problems like bleeding, ulcers, and holes, which can be fatal. These problems can happen without warning. Elderly patients and those with a history of ulcers or GI bleeding are at higher risk.
Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding. Etodolac may harm your unborn baby. It is not known if etodolac passes into breast milk.
Using indomethacin during the later stages of pregnancy may harm your unborn baby. Limit use between 20 and 30 weeks of pregnancy, and avoid use after 30 weeks. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.
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How to Read This etodolac vs indomethacin Comparison
etodolac is classified in the Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug (NSAID) drug class, while indomethacin 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, etodolac has 1,559 submissions while indomethacin has 5,402. Those figures reflect cumulative reporting volume — not per-patient risk — so older, widely dispensed drugs typically look worse on count alone. No direct interaction between these two drugs is listed in our FDA-derived dataset, though co-prescription still warrants pharmacist review. 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 etodolac and indomethacin — 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.