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etodolac Side Effects

Also known as: Lodine

Analysis of 5,880 adverse event reports submitted to the FDA from 2004 to 2025.

Total Reports

5,880

Death-Related

459

7.8% of reports

Hospitalizations

1,943

33.0% of reports

Top Indication

Product Used For Unknown Indication

Most Reported Adverse Reactions

DRUG INEFFECTIVE
362
PAIN
350
NAUSEA
290
ARTHRALGIA
284
FATIGUE
272
HEADACHE
238
DIARRHOEA
234
DYSPNOEA
223
DIZZINESS
207
RASH
201
PAIN IN EXTREMITY
173
FALL
170
PYREXIA
165
MALAISE
164
CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE
162
PRURITUS
152
ANXIETY
150
VOMITING
150
RENAL FAILURE
148
DRUG HYPERSENSITIVITY
145

Who Reports Side Effects

Gender Distribution

Female 3,697 (65%)
Male 1,945 (34%)
Unknown 10

Age Distribution

0-17 22 (1%)
18-44 612 (16%)
45-64 1,810 (47%)
65-74 879 (23%)
75+ 551 (14%)

Reporting Trend by Year

2004 2025

Reactions in Death Reports

Top reactions reported in 459 reports where death was an outcome. These are voluntarily reported and do not establish causation.

Reaction Reports
DEATH 87
COMPLETED SUICIDE 41
PNEUMONIA 32
PYREXIA 29
TOXICITY TO VARIOUS AGENTS 28
INTERSTITIAL LUNG DISEASE 27
NAUSEA 25
RESPIRATORY FAILURE 24
ANAEMIA 23
DIARRHOEA 22
MALIGNANT NEOPLASM PROGRESSION 22
CARDIO-RESPIRATORY ARREST 21
RENAL FAILURE 21
SEPSIS 20
CARDIAC ARREST 19
PAIN 18
PLATELET COUNT DECREASED 18
ACUTE KIDNEY INJURY 17
DYSPNOEA 17
DISEASE PROGRESSION 16

Reactions in Hospitalization Reports

Top reactions in 1,943 reports where hospitalization was an outcome.

Reaction Reports
DYSPNOEA 121
PAIN 115
NAUSEA 103
PYREXIA 100
FALL 98
PNEUMONIA 95
DIARRHOEA 93
ANAEMIA 88
VOMITING 88
FATIGUE 85
ARTHRALGIA 77
DIZZINESS 73
GASTROINTESTINAL HAEMORRHAGE 70
MALAISE 70
RENAL FAILURE 68
ABDOMINAL PAIN 67
ACUTE KIDNEY INJURY 67
ANXIETY 67
ASTHENIA 67
CHEST PAIN 66

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What the FAERS Data Reveals About etodolac Side Effects

The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) contains 5,880 voluntary reports linked to etodolac and its brand equivalents (Lodine), spanning 2004 through 2025. Of those, 459 (7.8%) listed death as an outcome and 1,943 (33.0%) involved hospitalization. The most common indication reported alongside adverse events was Product Used For Unknown Indication.

Demographic breakdowns help contextualize who is being exposed to the drug. Of reports with known sex, 65% were female and 34% male; age distribution skews toward 45-64, with 1,810 reports in that bracket. The single most reported reaction is drug ineffective with 362 submissions, followed by pain and nausea.

FAERS is a signal-detection tool, not a scorecard. Reports are voluntary, and a single case may list multiple suspect drugs, so numbers above should not be read as incidence rates or per-patient risk. Widely prescribed drugs naturally accumulate more reports than niche therapies even when individual risk is low. These aggregates are useful for spotting patterns that merit further pharmacovigilance, not for choosing between medications. This page is for educational reference only and is not medical advice — speak with a licensed clinician about any side-effect concerns.