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Medication guide · Common after a work injury: Pain & inflammation

Etodolac: uses, appearance and warnings

What the official FDA label says Etodolac is used for, what it looks like, and its most important warnings — in plain English, with the label text one click away.

Uses

What the official label says Etodolac is used for

The FDA label for Etodolac states:

Carefully consider the potential benefits and risks of etodolac tablets and other treatment options before deciding to use etodolac tablets. Use the lowest effective dose for the shortest duration consistent with individual patient treatment goals (see WARNINGS ). Etodolac tablets are indicated: For acute and long-term use in the management of signs and symptoms of the following: Osteoarthritis Rheumatoid arthritis For the management of acute pain
Read the label's “Indications and usage” section (verbatim)
Carefully consider the potential benefits and risks of etodolac tablets and other treatment options before deciding to use etodolac tablets. Use the lowest effective dose for the shortest duration consistent with individual patient treatment goals (see WARNINGS ). Etodolac tablets are indicated: For acute and long-term use in the management of signs and symptoms of the following: Osteoarthritis Rheumatoid arthritis For the management of acute pain

Names & forms

Brand names, forms and strengths

Brand names (from RxNorm; not every brand is still sold): Lodine.

Generic name: etodolac · RxNorm ID (RxCUI): 24605

Forms and strengths of Etodolac listed in RxNorm
FormStrengths listed in RxNorm
Extended Release Oral Tablet400 MG, 500 MG, 600 MG
Oral Capsule200 MG, 300 MG
Oral Tablet400 MG, 500 MG

Strengths are listed so you can recognise a product — not as dosing information. Only your prescriber can decide what is right for you.

Appearance

What Etodolac looks like

Illustration: white oval tablet, film coated, imprint ETOT 400ETOT 400

etodolac 400 mg
Aurobindo Pharma Limited

Illustration: yellow oval tablet, film coated, imprint ETOT 500ETOT 500

etodolac 500 mg
Aurobindo Pharma Limited

Illustration: pink capsule capsule, imprint ETO 200 MGETO 200 MG

etodolac 200 mg
Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, Inc.

Illustration: light pink capsule capsule, imprint ETO 300 MGETO 300 MG

etodolac 300 mg
Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, Inc.

Illustration: Peach oval tablet, film coated, imprint T88T88

etodolac 400 mg
Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, Inc.

Illustration: blue oval tablet, film coated, imprint TARO 89TARO 89

etodolac 500 mg
Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, Inc.

Illustration based on label data — not a photo; appearance varies by manufacturer. Confirm with your pharmacist.
Appearance of Etodolac products from DailyMed product data
StrengthFormColourShapeSizeImprintScoreLabeler
etodolac 400 mgtablet, film coatedwhiteoval19 mmETOT · 4001Aurobindo Pharma Limited
etodolac 500 mgtablet, film coatedyellowoval19 mmETOT · 5001Aurobindo Pharma Limited
etodolac 200 mgcapsulepinkcapsule22 mmETO · 200 · MG1Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, Inc.
etodolac 300 mgcapsulepink“light pink”capsule22 mmETO · 300 · MG1Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, Inc.
etodolac 400 mgtablet, film coatedpink“Peach”oval19 mmT881Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, Inc.
etodolac 500 mgtablet, film coatedblueoval19 mmTARO · 891Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, Inc.
etodolac 400 mgtablet, extended releasepinkround11 mmT4001TaSun Pharmaceutical Industries, Inc.
etodolac 500 mgtablet, extended releasegreenoval19 mmT5001TaSun Pharmaceutical Industries, Inc.
etodolac 600 mgtablet, extended releasegrayoval20 mmT6001TaSun Pharmaceutical Industries, Inc.
etodolac 400 mgtabletbrownoval18 mmI · 491Ipca Laboratories Limited
etodolac 500 mgtabletyellowoval20 mmI · 481Ipca Laboratories Limited

From the product data in each manufacturer's label on DailyMed. Many companies make Etodolac, so your medicine may look different from any shown here. If a pill looks unfamiliar, ask your pharmacist before taking it.

Read the label's “How supplied” section (verbatim)
Etodolac Tablets, USP are available as: Etodolac Tablets USP, 400 mg are white in color, biconvex oval shaped film-coated tablet, debossed with “ETOT” on one side and “400” on the other side. Bottles of 100 NDC 59651-461-01 Etodolac Tablets USP, 500 mg are yellow in color, biconvex oval shaped film-coated tablet, debossed with “ETOT” on one side and “500” on the other side. Bottles of 100 NDC 59651-462-01 Store at 20 o to 25 o C (68 o to 77 o F) [see USP Controlled Room Temperature]. Store tablets in original container until ready to use. Dispense in light-resistant container. For more information, call Aurobindo Pharma USA, Inc. at 1-866-850-2876. Distributed by: Aurobindo Pharma USA, Inc. 279 Princeton-Hightstown Road East Windsor, NJ 08520 Manufactured by: Aurobindo Pharma Limited Hyderabad-500 032, India Issued: November 2025

Safety

Important warnings for Etodolac

Boxed warning (verbatim from the FDA label)

Cardiovascular Thrombotic Events Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) cause an increased risk of serious cardiovascular thrombotic events, including myocardial infarction and stroke, which can be fatal. This risk may occur early in treatment and may increase with duration of use [see Warnings and Precautions ]. Etodolac tablets, 400 mg and 500 mg are contraindicated in the setting of coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery [see Contraindications and Warnings ]. Gastrointestinal Risk NSAIDs cause an increased risk of serious gastrointestinal adverse events including bleeding, ulceration, and perforation of the stomach or intestines, which can be fatal. These events can occur at any time during use and without warning symptoms. Elderly patients are at greater risk for serious gastrointestinal (GI) events. (See WARNINGS ).

Contraindications — who should not use it (verbatim)
Etodolac tablets are contraindicated in patients with known hypersensitivity to etodolac or other ingredients in etodolac tablets. Etodolac tablets should not be given to patients who have experienced asthma, urticaria, or other allergic-type reactions after taking aspirin or other NSAIDs. Severe, rarely fatal, anaphylactic-like reactions to NSAIDs have been reported in such patients (see WARNINGS , Anaphylactoid Reactions and PRECAUTIONS , Pre-existing Asthma ). In the setting of coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery [see Warnings ]
Warnings and precautions (verbatim excerpt)
CARDIOVASCULAR EFFECTS Cardiovascular Thrombotic Events Clinical trials of several COX-2 selective and nonselective NSAIDs of up to three years duration have shown an increased risk of serious cardiovascular (CV) thrombotic events, including myocardial infarction (MI) and stroke, which can be fatal. Based on available data, it is unclear that the risk for CV thrombotic events is similar for all NSAIDs. The relative increase in serious CV thrombotic events over baseline conferred by NSAID use appears to be similar in those with and without known CV disease or risk factors for CV disease. However, patients with known CV disease or risk factors had a higher absolute incidence of excess serious CV thrombotic events, due to their increased baseline rate. Some observational studies found that this increased risk of serious CV thrombotic events began as early as the first weeks of treatment. The increase in CV thrombotic risk has been observed most consistently at higher doses. To minimize the potential risk for an adverse CV event in NSAID-treated patients, use the lowest effective dose for the shortest duration possible. Physicians and patients should remain alert for the development of such events, throughout the entire treatment course, even in the absence of previous CV symptoms. Patients should be informed about the symptoms of serious CV events and the steps to take if they occur. There is no consistent evidence that concurrent use of aspirin mitigates the increased risk of serious CV thrombotic events associated with NSAID use. The concurrent use of aspirin and an NSAID, such as etodolac, increases the risk of serious gastrointestinal (GI) events [see Warnings ]. Status Post Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG) Surgery Two large, controlled clinical trials of a COX-2 selective NSAID for the treatment of pain in the first 10 to 14 days following CABG surgery found an increased incidence of myocardial infarction and stroke. NSAIDs are contraindicated in the setting of CABG [see Contraindications ]. Post-MI Patients Observational studies conducted in the Danish National Registry have demonstrated that patients treated with NSAIDs in the post-MI period were at increased risk of reinfarction, CV-related death, and all-cause mortality beginning in the first week of treatment. In this same cohort, the incidence of death in the first year post MI was 20 per 100 person years in NSAID-treated patients compared to 12 per 100 person years in non-NSAID exposed patients. Although the absolute rate of death declined somewhat after the first year post-MI, the increased relative risk of death in NSAID users persisted over at least the next four years of follow-up. Avoid the use of etodolac tablets in patients with a recent MI unless the benefits are expected to outweigh the risk of recurrent CV thrombotic events. If etodolac tablets are used in patients with a recent MI, monitor patients for signs of cardiac ischemia. Hypertension NSAIDs, including etodolac, can lead to onset of new hypertension or worsening of pre-existing hypertension, either of which may contribute to the increased incidence of CV events. Patients taking thiazides or loop diuretics may have impaired response to these therapies when taking NSAIDs. NSAIDs, including etodolac, should be used with caution in patients with hypertension. Blood pressure (BP) should be monitored closely during the initiation of NSAID treatment and throughout the course of therapy. Heart Failure and Edema The Coxib and traditional NSAID Trialists' Collaboration meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials demonstrated an approximately two-fold increase in hospitalizations for heart failure in COX-2 selective-treated patients and nonselective NSAID-treated patients compared to placebo-treated patients. In a Danish National Registry study of patients with heart failure, NSAID use increased the risk of MI, hospitalization for heart failure, and death. Additionally, fluid retention and edema have been observed in some patients treated with NSAIDs. Use of etodolac may blunt the CV effects of several therapeutic agents used to treat these medical conditions [e.g., diuretics, ACE inhibitors, or angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs)] [see Drug Interactions ]. Avoid the use of etodolac tablets in patients with severe heart failure unless the benefits are expected to outweigh the risk of worsening heart failure. If etodolac tablets are used in patients with severe heart failure, monitor patients for signs of worsening heart failure. Gastrointestinal Effects—Risk of Ulceration, Bleeding, and Perforation NSAIDs, including etodolac, can cause serious gastrointestinal (GI) adverse events including inflammation, bleeding, ulceration, and perforation of the stomach, small intestine or large intestine, which can be fatal. These serious adverse events can occur at any time, with or without warning symptoms, in patients treated with NSAIDs. Only one in five patients, who develop a serious upper GI adverse event on NSAID therapy, is symptomatic. Upper GI ulcers, gross bleeding, or perforation caused by NSAIDs occur in approximately 1% of patients treated for 3 to 6 months, and in about 2 to 4% of patients treated for one year. These trends continue with longer duration of use, increasing the likelihood of developing a serious GI event at some time during the course of therapy. However, even short-term therapy is not without risk. Physicians should inform patients about the signs and/or symptoms of serious GI toxicity and what steps to take if they occur. NSAIDs should be prescribed with extreme caution in those with a prior history of ulcer disease or gastrointestinal bleeding. Patients with a prior history of peptic ulcer disease, and/or gastrointestinal bleeding, and who use NSAIDs have a greater than 10-fold increased risk for developing a GI bleed compared to patients with neither of these risk factors. …
Side effects — opening of the label's adverse reactions section
In patients taking etodolac or other NSAIDs, the most frequently reported adverse experiences occurring in approximately 1 to 10% of patients are: Gastrointestinal experiences including: abdominal pain, constipation, diarrhea, dyspepsia, flatulence, gross bleeding/perforation, heartburn, nausea, GI ulcers (gastric/duodenal), vomiting. Other events including: abnormal renal function, anemia, dizziness, edema, elevated liver enzymes, headaches, increased bleeding time, pruritis, rashes, tinnitus. Adverse-reaction information for etodolac was derived from 2,629 arthritic patients treated with etodolac tablets in double-blind and open-label clinical trials of 4 to 320 weeks in duration and worldwide postmarketing surveillance studies. In clinical trials, most adverse reactions were mild and transient. …
Drug interactions — opening of the label's section
ACE-inhibitors Reports suggest that NSAIDs may diminish the antihypertensive effect of ACE-inhibitors. This interaction should be given consideration in patients taking NSAIDs concomitantly with ACE-inhibitors (see WARNINGS ). Antacids The concomitant administration of antacids has no apparent effect on the extent of absorption of etodolac. However, antacids can decrease the peak concentration reached by 15% to 20% but have no detectable effect on the time-to-peak. 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. …

This is not a complete list of warnings or side effects. Read the full label and talk to your prescriber or pharmacist. To report a side effect to the FDA, use MedWatch.

Resources

If you were hurt at work

Whether a medicine is right for you is a decision for your prescriber. If you were injured on the job, these educational guides explain the next steps and who can help.

Sources

Label text is quoted from the Aurobindo Pharma Limited label (label version effective July 16, 2026), retrieved October 20, 2026. Other manufacturers' labels for the same medicine may differ in wording.

If anything here differs from the label that came with your medicine, follow your label and your pharmacist.

Prescriptions.plus is an educational portal. We are not a pharmacy, law firm, medical provider, insurer or claims administrator, and nothing here is medical or legal advice. Educational purposes only. This page does not tell you whether to take a medicine or how much to take. Medical emergency? Call 911. Poison emergency: call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222.