ketoprofen

(kee toe PROE fen)
Actron, Orudis, Orudis KT, Oruvail

What is the most important information I should know about ketoprofen?

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Take ketoprofen with food, milk, or an antacid to lessen stomach upset.

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Do not crush or chew the extended-release forms of ketoprofen (e.g., Oruvail). Swallow them whole. These are specially formulated to release slowly in the body. Ask your pharmacist if you do not know if you have an extended-release formulation.

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Contact your doctor if you experience blood in vomit or bloody, black, or tarry stools. These symptoms could indicate damage to the stomach or intestines, which could be dangerous.

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Many over-the-counter cough, cold, allergy, and pain medicines contain aspirin or other medicines similar to ketoprofen (such as ibuprofen, naproxen, and others). Before taking any prescription or over-the-counter medicine, talk to your doctor and pharmacist.

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Avoid alcohol or use it with moderation. If you drink more than three alcoholic beverages a day, ketoprofen may increase the risk of dangerous stomach bleeding. Talk to your doctor before taking ketoprofen if you drink more than 3 alcoholic beverages a day.

What is ketoprofen?

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Ketoprofen is in a class of drugs called nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Ketoprofen works by reducing hormones that cause inflammation and pain in the body.

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Ketoprofen is used to reduce pain, inflammation, and stiffness caused by many conditions, such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and abdominal cramps associated with menstruation.

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Ketoprofen may also be used for purposes other than those listed in this medication guide.

What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking ketoprofen?

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Before taking ketoprofen, tell your doctor if you

have an allergy to aspirin or any other NSAIDs,

have an ulcer or bleeding in your stomach,

drink more than three alcoholic beverages a day,

have liver disease,

have kidney disease,

have a coagulation (bleeding) disorder,

have congestive heart failure,

have fluid retention,

have heart disease, or

have high blood pressure.

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You may not be able to take ketoprofen, or you may require a dosage adjustment or special monitoring during treatment if you have any of the conditions listed above.

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Ketoprofen is in the FDA pregnancy category B. This means that it is not expected to be harmful to an unborn baby. Ketoprofen must not be taken late in pregnancy (the third trimester) because a similar drug is known to affect the baby's heart. Do not take ketoprofen without first talking to your doctor if you are pregnant or could become pregnant during treatment.

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It is not known whether ketoprofen passes into breast milk. Do not take ketoprofen without first talking to your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

How should I take ketoprofen?

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Take ketoprofen exactly as directed by your doctor. If you do not understand these instructions, ask your pharmacist, nurse, or doctor to explain them to you.

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Take each dose with a full glass of water.

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Take ketoprofen with milk, food, or an antacid to lessen stomach upset.

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Store ketoprofen at room temperature away from moisture and heat.

What happens if I miss a dose?

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If you are taking ketoprofen on a regular schedule, take the missed dose as soon as you remember. However, if it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and take only the next regularly scheduled dose. Do not take a double dose.

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If you are taking ketoprofen as needed, take the missed dose if it is needed, then wait the recommended or prescribed amount of time before taking another dose.

What happens if I overdose?

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Seek emergency medical attention if an overdose is suspected.

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Symptoms of a ketoprofen overdose may include nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, dizziness, drowsiness, headache, ringing in the ears, blurred vision, seizures, sweating, numbness or tingling, little or no urine production, and slow breathing.

What should I avoid while taking ketoprofen?

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Avoid prolonged exposure to sunlight. Ketoprofen may increase the sensitivity of the skin to sunlight. Use a sunscreen and wear protective clothing when exposure to the sun is unavoidable.

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What are the possible side effects of ketoprofen?

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Contact your doctor if you experience blood in vomit or bloody, black, or tarry stools. These symptoms could indicate damage to the stomach or intestines, which could be dangerous.

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If you experience any of the following serious side effects, stop taking ketoprofen and seek medical treatment or contact your doctor immediately:

an allergic reaction (difficulty breathing; closing of the throat; swelling of the lips, tongue, or face; or hives);

muscle cramps, numbness, or tingling;

ulcers (open sores) in the mouth;

rapid weight gain (fluid retention);

seizures;

decreased hearing or ringing in the ears;

yellowing of your skin or eyes (jaundice); or

abdominal cramping, heartburn, or indigestion.

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Other, less serious side effects may be more likely to occur. Continue to take ketoprofen and talk to your doctor if you experience

dizziness or headache;

nausea, diarrhea, or constipation;

depression;

fatigue or weakness;

dry mouth; or

irregular menstrual periods.

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Side effects other than those listed here may also occur. Talk to your doctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome.

What other drugs will affect ketoprofen?

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Before taking ketoprofen, tell your doctor if you are taking any of the following drugs:

aspirin or another salicylate (form of aspirin) such as salsalate (Disalcid), diflunisal (Dolobid), choline salicylate-magnesium salicylate (Trilisate, Tricosal, others), and magnesium salicylate (Doan's, others);

another nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) such as diclofenac (Cataflam, Voltaren), etodolac (Lodine), fenoprofen (Nalfon), flurbiprofen (Ansaid), ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil, others), indomethacin (Indocin), naproxen (Naprosyn, Aleve, Naprelan, others), ketorolac (Toradol), meloxicam (Mobic), nabumetone (Relafen), oxaprozin (Daypro), piroxicam (Feldene), sulindac (Clinoril), or tolmetin (Tolectin);

an over-the-counter cough, cold, allergy, or pain medicine that contains aspirin, ibuprofen, ketoprofen, or ketoprofen;

an anticoagulant (blood thinner) such as warfarin (Coumadin);

a steroid such as prednisone (Deltasone);

insulin or an oral diabetes medicine such as glipizide (Glucotrol), glyburide (Diabeta, Micronase), and others;

probenecid (Benemid);

lithium (Eskalith, Lithobid, others); or

bismuth subsalicylate in drugs such as Pepto-Bismol.

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You may not be able to take ketoprofen, or you may require a dosage adjustment or special monitoring during treatment if you are taking any of the medicines listed above.

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Drugs other than those listed here may also interact with ketoprofen. Talk to your doctor and pharmacist before taking any prescription or over-the-counter medicines, including vitamins, minerals, and herbal products.

Where can I get more information?

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Your pharmacist has additional information about ketoprofen written for health professionals that you may read.

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Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medication only for the indication prescribed.

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Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Cerner Multum, Inc. ('Multum') is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Multum does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Multum's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Multum's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners. The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Multum provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.