etodolac vs piroxicam
Side-by-side comparison of etodolac and piroxicam Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.
Etodolac is a pain reliever and anti-inflammatory medicine. It helps reduce pain, swelling, and stiffness caused by arthritis and other conditions.
Piroxicam is a medicine 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.
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.
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.
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.
- • Upset stomach
- • Constipation
- • Diarrhea
- • Gas
- • Heartburn
- • Nausea
- • Constipation
- • Gas
- • Abdominal pain
- • Diarrhea
- The medicine is not working 362
- Pain 350
- Feeling sick to your stomach 290
- Joint pain 284
- Tiredness 273
- Allergic reaction to the medicine 940
- Skin rash 874
- Joint pain 861
- Condition made worse 857
- Medicine not working 836
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.
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.
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.
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 etodolac vs piroxicam Comparison
etodolac 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, etodolac has 1,559 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. 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 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.