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meclofenamate

GENERIC NAME: meclofenamate

BRAND NAME: Meclomen

DRUG CLASS AND MECHANISM: Meclofenamate is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) effective in treating |fever|, pain, and inflammation in the body. As a group, NSAIDs are non-narcotic relievers of mild to moderate pain of many causes, including injury, | menstrual cramps|, |arthritis|, and other musculoskeletal conditions. Since the response to different NSAIDs varies from patient to patient, it is not unusual for a doctor to try different NSAIDs for any given condition.

PRESCRIPTION: yes

GENERIC AVAILABLE: yes

PREPARATIONS: capsules: 50mg, 100mg

STORAGE: Store at room temperature, sealed container, avoid moisture.

PRESCRIBED FOR: Meclofenamate is used for the treatment of inflammation and pain caused by |rheumatoid arthritis| and | osteoarthritis|, as well as soft tissue injuries, such as tendinitis, and | bursitis|. Meclofenamate is immediately released into the blood and is also used for rapid relief of mild to moderate pain and |menstrual cramps|.

DOSING: Should be taken with food.

DRUG INTERACTIONS: Meclofenamate should be avoided by patients with a history of |asthma| attacks, |hives|, or other allergic reactions to aspirin or other NSAIDs. Rare but severe allergic reactions have been reported in such individuals. It also should be avoided by patients with |peptic ulcer disease| or poor kidney function, since this medication can aggravate both conditions. Meclofenamate is generally used with caution in patients taking blood thinning medications (anticoagulants), such as |warfarin| (Coumadin), because of increased risk of bleeding. Patients also taking cyclosporine (Sandimmune) can develop kidney toxicity. Meclofenamate is not recommended in children as it has not been adequately studied in younger patients. Meclofenamate is not habit forming. NSAIDs should be discontinued prior to elective surgery because of a mild tendency to interfere with blood clotting. Meclofenamate is best discontinued at least three days in advance of the procedure.

Persons who have more than 3 alcoholic beverages per day are at increased risk of developing stomach ulcers when taking meclofenamate or other NSAIDs.

|PREGNANCY|: Meclofenamate is generally avoided during pregnancy .

NURSING MOTHERS: Meclofenamate is generally avoided in nursing mothers.

SIDE EFFECTS: Most patients benefit from meclofenamate and other NSAIDs with few side effects. However, serious side effects can occur, and generally tend to be dose related. Therefore, it is often desirable to use the lowest effective dose to minimize side effects. The most common side effects of meclofenamate involve the gastrointestinal system. It can cause ulcerations, abdominal burning, pain, cramping, |nausea|, | gastritis|, and even serious gastrointestinal bleeding and liver toxicity. Sometimes, stomach ulceration and bleeding can occur without any abdominal pain. Black tarry stools, |weakness|, and |dizziness| upon standing may be the only signs of |internal bleeding|. |Rash|, kidney impairment, ringing in the ears, and lightheadedness can also occur.

Reference: FDA Prescribing Information