ibuprofen vs sulindac
Side-by-side comparison of ibuprofen and sulindac Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.
Ibuprofen is a drug that can reduce pain and fever. It belongs to a class of drugs called NSAIDs.
Sulindac is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). It helps to reduce pain and swelling.
Ibuprofen can help with minor aches and pains. You can use it for headaches, toothaches, backaches, menstrual cramps, and muscle aches. It can also help with the common cold, minor arthritis pain, and fever.
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.
Ibuprofen works by reducing hormones that cause pain and swelling in the body. It blocks the production of prostaglandins. Prostaglandins contribute to inflammation and pain signals.
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.
- • Nausea
- • Headache
- • Diarrhea
- • Vomiting
- • Dizziness
- • Stomach pain
- • Upset stomach
- • Nausea (with or without vomiting)
- • Diarrhea
- • Constipation
- Drug not working 24,339
- Pain 18,851
- Tiredness 17,869
- Feeling sick to your stomach 17,349
- Headache 15,814
- The medicine is not working 213
- Pain 182
- Tiredness 151
- Joint pain 138
- Feeling sick to your stomach 123
NSAIDs like ibuprofen may increase the risk of serious cardiovascular thrombotic events, myocardial infarction, and stroke, which can be fatal. This risk may increase with duration of use. NSAIDs also increase the risk of serious gastrointestinal adverse events including bleeding, ulceration, and perforation of the stomach or intestines, which can be fatal.
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.
Ask a doctor before using if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. NSAIDs like ibuprofen may cause harm to the fetus.
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 ibuprofen vs sulindac Comparison
ibuprofen 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 split between OTC and prescription status, which affects access and supervision.
Adverse event totals above are pulled from the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). For these top-ranked reactions alone, ibuprofen has 94,222 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 ibuprofen 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.