indomethacin vs lithium
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Side-by-side comparison of indomethacin and lithium. Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.
minor Known Drug Interaction
Lithium Clinical Impact: NSAIDs have produced elevations in plasma lithium levels and reductions in renal lithium clearance . The mean minimum lithium concentration increased 15%, and the renal clearance decreased by approximately 20%. Intervention: During concomitant use of indomethacin capsules and lithium, monitor patients for signs of lithium toxicity.
Indocin
Lithobid, Eskalith
Indomethacin is a drug that reduces pain and swelling. It belongs to a class of drugs called NSAIDs.
Lithium is a mood stabilizer medicine. It helps to balance mood swings.
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.
Lithium is used to treat bipolar disorder. Bipolar disorder causes unusual shifts in mood, energy, activity levels, and concentration. Lithium helps to control the extreme highs (mania) and lows (depression) of this condition.
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.
Lithium affects the flow of sodium in nerve and muscle cells in the body. This helps to stabilize your mood. It may also affect other chemical messenger systems in the brain.
- • Headache
- • Dizziness
- • Upset stomach
- • Nausea
- • Tremor (shaking)
- • Nausea
- • Increased weight
- • Fatigue (feeling tired)
- • Vomiting
- Fatigue 1,102
- Arthralgia 1,002
- Headache 990
- Pain 921
- Nausea 907
- Toxicity To Various Agents 2,179
- Drug Interaction 1,526
- Tremor 1,462
- Nausea 1,344
- Weight Increased 1,153
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.
Lithium levels in your blood need to be monitored closely by your doctor. Too much lithium can be toxic and cause serious side effects. Make sure to attend all scheduled blood tests.
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.
Lithium can harm your unborn baby. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Lithium can pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing infant. Talk to your doctor about the best way to feed your baby if you are taking lithium.
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How to Read This indomethacin vs lithium Comparison
indomethacin is classified in the Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug (NSAID) drug class, while lithium sits within the Mood Stabilizer class. Drugs from different classes work through distinct mechanisms, so a head-to-head comparison illustrates trade-offs rather than equivalence. 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, indomethacin has 4,922 submissions while lithium has 7,664. 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 minor interaction flagged in FDA labeling, attributed to indomethacin slows down how fast your kidneys remove lithium from your body, which can cause lithium to build up to unsafe levels.. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.
A table cannot represent individual circumstances. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This registry does not provide medical, treatment, substitution, or medication-change directions for indomethacin or lithium.
Registry boundary: This comparison displays source-record fields and does not provide individualized medical direction.