Prescription medication · Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug (NSAID)
etodolac
Also sold as Lodine. Etodolac treats the symptoms of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
Data updated 2026-05-15
- 5,880
- FDA reportsLightly reported
- 10
- InteractionsSeveral interactions
- $0.28
- Generic price (NADAC)
What the data shows
etodolac (Lodine) is a prescription Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug (NSAID), reported less often than most tracked drugs (5,880 FDA reports), with 10 documented drug interactions.
Reporting volume reflects how widely a drug is used and studied, not how dangerous it is, a FAERS report documents a temporal association, never proof of cause.
etodolac (Lodine) is a prescription Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug (NSAID). Etodolac treats the symptoms of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
Etodolac is a pain reliever and anti-inflammatory medicine. It helps reduce pain, swelling, and stiffness caused by arthritis and other conditions.
Verify with FDA → · CMS NADAC pricing →
Drug Pricing (NADAC)
Generic Price
$0.28/unit
Generic Available
Yes (13 manufacturers)
Pricing data from NADAC (CMS), effective December 18, 2024. Compare all drug costs →
What it does
Etodolac treats the symptoms of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
Common side effects
Upset stomach, Constipation, Diarrhea
Key warnings
NSAIDs like etodolac can increase your risk of heart attack or stroke, which can be fatal.
The sections below are summarized in plain English from etodolac's FDA-approved prescribing information. They describe what the official label says, and are not personal medical advice.
How It Works
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.
Side Effects (from patient reports)
Based on 5,880 FDA adverse event reports.
Most-reported reactions
Adverse reactions in FAERS for etodolac, by number of reports
- Pain
Pain
350 reports
- Nausea
Nausea
290 reports
- Arthralgia
Arthralgia
284 reports
- Fatigue
Fatigue
272 reports
- Headache
Headache
238 reports
- Diarrhoea
Diarrhoea
234 reports
- Dyspnoea
Dyspnoea
223 reports
- Dizziness
Dizziness
207 reports
- Rash
Rash
201 reports
- Pain In Extremity
Pain In Extremity
173 reports
What this shows Bars show how often each reaction was reported, not how likely it is to happen, a report records a temporal association, never proof that the drug caused it.
Reports over time
Adverse-event reports filed for etodolac each year to the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS).
Year-to-year volume tracks usage, prescribing, and scrutiny, not a change in per-patient risk. Source: FDA FAERS.
Where etodolac sits
etodolac has more FDA adverse-event reports than 27% of the drugs FAERS tracks. A high position reflects how widely a drug is used and watched, not how dangerous it is.
Percentile across all drugs PlainMeds tracks by FAERS report volume. The dot is etodolac; the line is the median (50th percentile).
FDA Adverse Event Report Analysis
Detailed analysis of 5,880 reports from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Reports span 2004–2025.
Total Reports
5,880
Reports Mentioning Death
459
7.8% of reports — not proof of cause
Hospitalization Reports
1,943
Top Indication
Product Used For Unknown Indication
Gender Distribution
Age Distribution
Most Reported Adverse Reactions (FAERS)
| # | Reaction | Reports |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | PAIN | 350 |
| 3 | NAUSEA | 290 |
| 4 | ARTHRALGIA | 284 |
| 5 | FATIGUE | 272 |
| 6 | HEADACHE | 238 |
| 7 | DIARRHOEA | 234 |
| 8 | DYSPNOEA | 223 |
| 9 | DIZZINESS | 207 |
| 10 | RASH | 201 |
| 11 | PAIN IN EXTREMITY | 173 |
| 12 | FALL | 170 |
| 13 | PYREXIA | 165 |
| 14 | MALAISE | 164 |
| 15 | CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE | 162 |
| 16 | PRURITUS | 152 |
Reactions in Death Reports
Reactions in Hospitalization Reports
Source: FDA FAERS (Adverse Event Reporting System) Reports are voluntary and do not establish causation
Serious Warnings
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.
Known Drug Interactions
Warfarin The effects of warfarin and NSAIDs on GI bleeding are synergistic, such that users of both drugs together have a risk of serious GI bleeding higher than that of users of either drug alone. Short-term pharmacokinetic studies have demonstrated that concomitant administration of warfarin and etodolac results in reduced protein binding of warfarin, but there was no change in the clearance of free warfarin. There was no significant difference in the pharmacodynamic effect of warfarin administered alone and warfarin administered with etodolac as measured by prothrombin time.
Mechanism: Both drugs increase the risk of bleeding, and taking them together makes a serious stomach bleed much more likely. Etodolac also changes how warfarin travels through the bloodstream.
Diuretics Etodolac has no apparent pharmacokinetic interaction when administered with furosemide or hydrochlorothiazide.
Mechanism: These drugs do not significantly change how the body absorbs or processes each other.
Diuretics Etodolac has no apparent pharmacokinetic interaction when administered with furosemide or hydrochlorothiazide. Nevertheless, clinical studies, as well as postmarketing observations have shown that etodolac can reduce the natriuretic effect of furosemide and thiazides in some patients with possible loss of blood pressure control.
Mechanism: Etodolac can stop your water pill from removing salt and water effectively, which can cause your blood pressure to rise.
Aspirin When etodolac is administered with aspirin, its protein binding is reduced, although the clearance of free etodolac is not altered. The clinical significance of this interaction is not known; however, as with other NSAIDs, concomitant administration of etodolac and aspirin is not generally recommended because of the potential of increased adverse effects.
Mechanism: Taking these together changes how the medicine travels through your blood and increases the chance of harmful side effects.
Cyclosporine, Digoxin, Methotrexate Etodolac, like other NSAIDs, through effects on renal prostaglandins, may cause changes in the elimination of these drugs leading to elevated serum levels of cyclosporine, digoxin, methotrexate, and increased toxicity. NSAIDs, such as etodolac, should not be administered prior to or concomitantly with high doses of methotrexate. NSAIDs have been reported to competitively inhibit methotrexate accumulation in rabbit kidney slices.
Mechanism: Etodolac can slow down how fast your kidneys remove methotrexate from your body, which causes the drug to build up to unsafe levels. This buildup can make the side effects of methotrexate more dangerous.
This is a plain-language summary of FDA-label interaction records and does not provide individual medication-combination directions.
Common Questions
Can I take etodolac with other pain relievers?
How long does it take for etodolac to work?
Can etodolac affect my blood pressure?
Can I drink alcohol while taking etodolac?
What should I do if I have severe stomach pain while taking etodolac?
Can etodolac affect my kidneys?
Is it okay to take Etodolac before surgery?
Can etodolac cause allergic reactions?
Does etodolac interact with any other medications?
Can I drive or operate machinery while taking etodolac?
What are the common side effects of etodolac?
Does etodolac interact with other medications?
What drug class is etodolac?
What pregnancy or breastfeeding source fields are listed for etodolac?
Related Medications in Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug (NSAID)
Other drugs grouped near etodolac - same-class peers and common alternatives.
abatacept
Orencia
Orencia is a medicine that helps to reduce inflammation.
Compare with etodolac →
acetaminophen
Tylenol
Acetaminophen (Tylenol) is a medicine that can relieve pain and reduce fever.
Compare with etodolac →
acetaminophen/hydrocodone
Vicodin, Norco
This medicine contains acetaminophen and hydrocodone.
Compare with etodolac →
acetaminophen/oxycodone
Percocet
Percocet is a strong pain medicine.
Compare with etodolac →
adalimumab
Humira
Idacio is a medicine that blocks a protein called TNF.
Compare with etodolac →
Compare beyond drug class
Nationwide peers by FAERS volume & death-report share
Two PlainMeds-derived comparison paths for etodolac: nearest FDA FAERS report volume and nearest death-report share among drugs with at least 1,000 logged reports, excluding same-class neighbors listed above. Counts reflect reporting volume, not proven individual harm.
Similar FAERS report volume
Nearest drugs by total FAERS reports. This record: 5,880.
Similar death-report share
Nearest drugs by FAERS death-report share. This record: 7.81%.
- ranitidine Δ 0.02 pts · 197,405 reports · H2 Receptor Antagonist 7.82%death share
- cefdinir Δ 0.04 pts · 7,348 reports · Third-Generation Cephalosporin 7.77%death share
- cannabidiol Δ 0.04 pts · 22,227 reports · Cannabinoid (Anticonvulsant) 7.77%death share
- dofetilide Δ 0.05 pts · 10,302 reports · Class III Antiarrhythmic 7.76%death share
Medication Guides
Understanding Drug Interactions
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Generic vs Brand Name Drugs
FDA requirements, cost savings, and when the difference matters
Narrow Therapeutic Index Drugs
FDA bioequivalence and label-record context for narrow therapeutic index medicines
Common Drug Interactions
Dangerous medication combinations and how to protect yourself
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What the FDA Data Shows for etodolac
The FDA label for etodolac (sold under brand names such as Lodine) classifies it as a prescription-only medication in the Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug (NSAID) class. Etodolac treats the symptoms of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Official labeling lists 16 commonly reported side effects, including Upset stomach, Constipation, Diarrhea.
Post-market surveillance from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) captures real-world experience. For this drug, FAERS contains 5,880 voluntary reports. The database also lists 10 documented drug interactions derived from FDA labeling, with the top-flagged interaction rated moderate severity. NADAC pricing from CMS shows a generic unit cost of $0.28.
Report counts do not establish causation, a FAERS entry documents a temporal association, not proof that the drug produced the outcome. Widely prescribed medications naturally accumulate more reports than niche therapies, so raw totals must be interpreted alongside total exposure. Shortage status, recall history, and patent information are separate source-record fields. This page is a public FDA/CMS registry and does not provide medical, treatment, substitution, or medication-change directions.
Data Sources
Drug labeling: FDA Drug Labels (SPL/DailyMed). Adverse events: FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Pricing: CMS National Average Drug Acquisition Cost (NADAC).
FAERS reports are voluntary and do not establish causation. Drug interactions are derived from FDA labeling and clinical references. This registry does not provide medication decisions.
Last updated: January 13, 2026
PlainMeds is rendered directly from FDA openFDA/FAERS extracts, DailyMed labels, and CMS drug-pricing files, no number is typed in by an editor. FAERS counts, recalls, shortages, and price figures on this page are queried live from those federal extracts. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026-05-15. Primary sources: openFDA / FAERS, DailyMed and CMS Part B ASP.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Data currency: FDA FAERS adverse-event reports through 2025, CMS NADAC acquisition-cost pricing effective December 2024, compiled from the source snapshot dated . See our methodology for per-source dates and refresh cadence. Spot a figure that looks wrong? Report a data issue.
All federal data sources used on this page
- FDA Orange Book - approved drug products with therapeutic equivalence. accessdata.fda.gov/cder/ob
- FDA DailyMed - NIH-hosted drug labeling for FDA-approved meds. dailymed.nlm.nih.gov
- FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) - post-marketing safety surveillance. fda.gov/drugs/faers
- NLM RxNorm - standardized clinical drug nomenclature. nlm.nih.gov/research/umls/rxnorm
- CMS Medicare Part B Drug Average Sales Price Files - federal drug pricing data. cms.gov/medicare/part-b-drugs/asp
- FDA Drug Shortages Database - current and resolved drug shortage tracking. accessdata.fda.gov/drugshortages