What the FDA labels say about taking them together
Heparin and ketorolac
Ketorolac's FDA label of August 31, 2023 names heparin in its warnings section; heparin's label does not name ketorolac itself but warns about its class (NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs)). The ketorolac label: “The concurrent use of ketorolac and therapy that affects hemostasis, including prophylactic low dose heparin (2500 to 5000 units q12h), warfarin and dextrans, has not been studied extensively, but may also be associated …”
Check it at the source: the heparin FDA label on DailyMed (effective November 28, 2025, Fresenius Kabi USA, LLC); the ketorolac FDA label on DailyMed (effective August 31, 2023, Fresenius Kabi USA, LLC).
What does the heparin label say about ketorolac?
Heparin's label does not name ketorolac itself; it warns about its class (NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs)):
Heparin label, drug interactionsDrugs such as NSAIDS (including salicylic acid, ibuprofen, indomethacin, and celecoxib), dextran, phenylbutazone, thienopyridines, dipyridamole, hydroxychloroquine, glycoprotein IIb/IIIa antagonists (including abciximab, eptifibatide, and tirofiban), and others that interfere with platelet-aggregation reactions (the main hemostatic defense of heparinized patients) may induce bleeding and should be used with caution in patients receiving heparin sodium.
Source: FDA drug label (Heparin Sodium), Fresenius Kabi USA, LLC, effective November 28, 2025 (SPL set d55b4a63-0c04-4874-b74f-9e9b9e8b008c), via openFDA; the full label on DailyMed
What does the ketorolac label say about heparin?
Ketorolac label, warningsPatients on therapeutic doses of anticoagulants (e.g., heparin or dicumarol derivatives) have an increased risk of bleeding complications if given ketorolac tromethamine concurrently; therefore, physicians should administer such concomitant therapy only extremely cautiously.
Sprix label (Zyla Life Sciences US LLC, December 5, 2024), warnings and precautionsThe concurrent use of ketorolac and therapy that affects hemostasis, including prophylactic low dose heparin (2500 to 5000 units q12h), warfarin and dextrans, has not been studied extensively, but may also be associated with an increased risk of bleeding.
Source: FDA drug label (Sprix, NDA022382), Zyla Life Sciences US LLC, effective December 5, 2024 (SPL set 97005a1c-167e-4676-bae7-e49b38c36f9e), via openFDA
Source: FDA drug label (Ketorolac Tromethamine), Fresenius Kabi USA, LLC, effective August 31, 2023 (SPL set 3d88cbe6-5230-47aa-80af-0c41283d1f00), via openFDA; the full label on DailyMed
These are the labels' own sentences. PlainMeds does not grade interactions; a pharmacist or prescriber can say what they mean for one person's medicines.
Both medicines on the record
| Heparin | Ketorolac | |
|---|---|---|
| Labeled for | Blood clots (DVT and PE), Atrial fibrillation | Pain |
| Boxed warning | No | Yes |
| Pharmacy cost (NADAC) | $1.18 per mL 5,000 unit/mL vial | $1.02 per mL 30 mg/mL vial |
| Shortage now | In shortage | In shortage |
Source: FDA NDC Directory, CMS NADAC of October 7, 2026 and the FDA Drug Shortage Database (FDA files October 8, 2026)
What next?
- Check more medicines together
- up to five at once