etodolac vs sulindac
Side-by-side comparison of etodolac and sulindac 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.
Sulindac is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). It helps to reduce pain and swelling.
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.
Sulindac can help with the pain and swelling from different types of arthritis. This includes osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. It can also treat ankylosing spondylitis, a painful shoulder, and gout.
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.
Sulindac works by reducing substances in the body that cause pain and inflammation. It gets converted into an active form in your body. This active form then blocks the production of these inflammatory substances.
- • Upset stomach
- • Constipation
- • Diarrhea
- • Gas
- • Heartburn
- • Stomach pain
- • Upset stomach
- • Nausea (with or without vomiting)
- • Diarrhea
- • Constipation
- The medicine is not working 362
- Pain 350
- Feeling sick to your stomach 290
- Joint pain 284
- Tiredness 273
- The medicine is not working 213
- Pain 182
- Tiredness 151
- Joint pain 138
- Feeling sick to your stomach 123
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.
NSAIDs like sulindac can increase your risk of heart attack or stroke, which can be fatal. This risk can happen early in treatment and gets worse the longer you use sulindac. You should not take sulindac if you are having heart bypass surgery (CABG). NSAIDs also raise the risk of serious stomach problems like bleeding, ulcers, and holes in your stomach or intestines, which can be fatal. These problems can happen without warning. Older adults 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.
Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding. Sulindac may harm your unborn baby. It is not known if sulindac passes into breast milk.
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How to Read This etodolac vs sulindac Comparison
etodolac is classified in the Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug (NSAID) drug class, while sulindac 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 sulindac has 807. 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 sulindac — 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.