Prescription medication · Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug (NSAID)
ketorolac
Also sold as Toradol. Ketorolac is used for short-term relief of moderate to severe pain.
Data updated 2026-05-15
- 3
- InteractionsFew interactions
- In shortage
- FDA status
What the data shows
ketorolac (Toradol) is a prescription Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug (NSAID), with 3 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.
ketorolac (Toradol) is a prescription Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug (NSAID). Ketorolac is used for short-term relief of moderate to severe pain.
Ketorolac (Toradol) is a strong pain reliever. It is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID).
Verify with FDA → · CMS NADAC pricing →
Drug Shortage Alert
ketorolac is currently listed as in shortage by the FDA. Affected manufacturer: Gland Pharma Limited. Status: Available.
View all drug shortages →Drug Pricing (NADAC)
Generic Price
$11.41/unit
Generic Available
Yes (30 manufacturers)
Pricing data from NADAC (CMS), effective December 18, 2024. Compare all drug costs →
What it does
Ketorolac is used for short-term relief of moderate to severe pain.
Common side effects
Stomach pain, Constipation or diarrhea, Upset stomach
Key warnings
Ketorolac can cause stomach ulcers, bleeding, and holes in the stomach or intestines, which can be fatal.
The sections below are summarized in plain English from ketorolac's FDA-approved prescribing information. They describe what the official label says, and are not personal medical advice.
How It Works
Ketorolac reduces pain by blocking the production of substances called prostaglandins in the body. Prostaglandins contribute to inflammation and pain. By reducing prostaglandins, ketorolac helps to alleviate pain.
Serious Warnings
Ketorolac can cause stomach ulcers, bleeding, and holes in the stomach or intestines, which can be fatal. It can increase your risk of heart attack or stroke, which can be fatal. Ketorolac is not for long-term use or for treating minor pain. Do not take it before major surgery. It can also cause kidney problems and bleeding problems.
Known Drug Interactions
Established and Other Potentially Clinically Significant Drug Interactions Concomitant Drug/Drug Class Effect on Drug Concentration Recommendation Ketorolac tromethamine ↑ ketorolac tromethamine Contraindicated Ketoprofen ↑ ketoprofen Concomitant use is not recommended.
Mechanism: Probenecid slows down the body's ability to clear ketorolac, which leads to much higher and potentially unsafe levels of the drug in your system.
Table 3: Drugs that Can Increase the Risk of Bleeding Drug Class Specific Drugs Anticoagulants argatroban, dabigatran, bivalirudin, desirudin, heparin, lepirudin Antiplatelet Agents aspirin, cilostazol, clopidogrel, dipyridamole, prasugrel, ticlopidine Non-steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Agents celecoxib, diclofenac, diflunisal, fenoprofen, ibuprofen, indomethacin, ketoprofen, ketorolac, mefenamic acid, naproxen, oxaprozin, piroxicam, sulindac Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors citalopram, desvenlafaxine, duloxetine, escitalopram, fluoxetine, fluvoxamine, milnacipran, paroxetine, sertraline,...
Mechanism: Both drugs interfere with how your blood clots, which increases the risk of bleeding. Taking them together creates an additive effect that makes it harder for your body to stop a bleed.
These agents include medications such as: anticoagulants, platelet inhibitors including acetylsalicylic acid, salicylates, NSAIDs (including ketorolac tromethamine), dipyridamole, or sulfinpyrazone.
Mechanism: Both drugs affect how your blood clots, and taking them together increases your risk of serious bleeding.
This is a plain-language summary of FDA-label interaction records and does not provide individual medication-combination directions.
Common Questions
Can I take ketorolac for my chronic back pain?
Can I take ketorolac with aspirin?
What if I have kidney problems?
Can I drive while taking ketorolac?
Can I take ketorolac before surgery?
What should I do if I experience severe stomach pain?
Is ketorolac safe for elderly patients?
Can I use ketorolac for a headache?
What if I am allergic to aspirin?
How long does it take for ketorolac to start working?
What are the common side effects of ketorolac?
Does ketorolac interact with other medications?
What drug class is ketorolac?
What pregnancy or breastfeeding source fields are listed for ketorolac?
Has ketorolac been recalled?
Is ketorolac currently in shortage?
Active Recalls
Lack of Assurance of Sterility
Apotex Corp.
CGMP Deviations:
Akorn, Inc.
Crystallization; identified as calcium salt of Ketorolac
Hospira Inc.
Crystallization; identified as calcium salt of Ketorolac
Hospira Inc.
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Medication Guides
Understanding Drug Interactions
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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 ketorolac
The FDA label for ketorolac (sold under brand names such as Toradol) classifies it as a prescription-only medication in the Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug (NSAID) class. Ketorolac is used for short-term relief of moderate to severe pain. Official labeling lists 26 commonly reported side effects, including Stomach pain, Constipation or diarrhea, Upset stomach.
Post-market surveillance from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) captures real-world experience. Voluntary reports accumulate over the lifetime of a drug and reflect wide-ranging clinical use. The database also lists 3 documented drug interactions derived from FDA labeling, with the top-flagged interaction rated major severity. NADAC pricing from CMS shows a generic unit cost of $11.41.
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 (currently 4 recall records on file), 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). Shortage status: FDA Drug Shortages Database.
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: October 12, 2022
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