methotrexate vs piroxicam
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Side-by-side comparison of methotrexate and piroxicam. Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.
moderate Known Drug Interaction
Methotrexate Clinical Impact: Concomitant use of NSAIDs and methotrexate may increase the risk for methotrexate toxicity (e.g., neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, renal dysfunction). Intervention: During concomitant use of piroxicam capsules and methotrexate, monitor patients for methotrexate toxicity.
Trexall, Otrexup
Feldene
Methotrexate is a drug that can treat certain cancers, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, and other conditions. It works by slowing the growth of cells in the body.
Piroxicam is a medicine that reduces pain and swelling. It belongs to a class of drugs called NSAIDs.
Methotrexate can treat acute lymphoblastic leukemia, a type of cancer, in adults and children. It also treats mycosis fungoides, a skin lymphoma, in adults. Additionally, it treats relapsed or refractory non-Hodgkin lymphoma in adults. For non-cancer conditions, it treats rheumatoid arthritis in adults, polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis (pJIA) in children, and severe psoriasis in adults.
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.
Methotrexate blocks an enzyme called dihydrofolate reductase. This enzyme is needed for cells to grow and multiply. By blocking this enzyme, methotrexate slows down the growth of cells, especially cancer cells and cells that cause inflammation in arthritis and psoriasis.
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.
- • Mouth sores
- • Nausea
- • Abdominal pain
- • Changes in liver tests
- • Nausea
- • Constipation
- • Gas
- • Abdominal pain
- • Diarrhea
- Rheumatoid Arthritis 38,053
- Arthralgia 36,283
- Pain 35,413
- Fatigue 29,061
- Nausea 24,009
- Drug Hypersensitivity 940
- Rash 874
- Arthralgia 861
- Condition Aggravated 857
- Rheumatoid Arthritis 809
Methotrexate can cause serious harm to an unborn baby, including death. If you are pregnant, you should not take this medicine for non-cancer conditions. If you are taking it for cancer, talk to your doctor about the risks. This medicine can also cause severe allergic reactions and other serious side effects that can be life-threatening. Contact your doctor immediately if you experience any signs of infection, lung problems, or kidney 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.
Methotrexate can cause birth defects or fetal death if taken during pregnancy for non-cancer conditions. If you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant, talk to your doctor. Do not breastfeed while taking methotrexate, as it can pass into breast milk and harm your baby.
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.
Also Compare, Nearby Drugs
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How to Read This methotrexate vs piroxicam Comparison
methotrexate is classified in the Disease-Modifying Antirheumatic Drug (DMARD) drug class, while piroxicam sits within the Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug (NSAID) 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, methotrexate has 162,819 submissions while piroxicam has 4,341. 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 moderate interaction flagged in FDA labeling, attributed to piroxicam can cause methotrexate to build up to toxic levels in your blood, which can harm your kidneys and blood health.. 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 methotrexate or piroxicam.
Registry boundary: This comparison displays source-record fields and does not provide individualized medical direction.