Piroxicam: functions, dosage, side effects, how to use it

What is the drug Piroxicam?

Piroxicam medicinal uses

Piroxicam is a drug to reduce pain, swelling, and joint inflammation due to rheumatoid arthritis. Piroxicam belongs to the group nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID).

Piroxicam is also often used to treat gout or gout. The way piroxicam works is by blocking the production of certain substances in your body that cause inflammation.

What are the rules for taking piroxicam?

Follow your doctor's instructions when taking this medication. Piroxicam is usually taken orally once a day. You should not lie down for at least 10 minutes after taking the medicine. To prevent nausea, take this medication with food, milk, or an antacid.

To reduce the risk of stomach bleeding and other side effects, take this medication at the lowest possible dose for the shortest possible time. Do not increase your dose, take the medicine more often, or use it for more than the recommended time.

If you are taking this medication "as needed" (not regularly), remember that it works better when it is used at the first sign of pain. If you wait for the condition to get worse, the medication may not work very well.

It may take several weeks after taking this medication regularly until you get maximum results. Report to your doctor if your condition does not get better or gets worse.

Follow the rules given by your doctor or pharmacist before starting treatment. If you have any questions, consult your doctor or pharmacist.

How to store this drug?

This medication is best stored at room temperature, away from direct light and damp places. Don't store it in the bathroom or freeze it. Other brands of this drug may have different storage rules.

Observe the storage instructions on the product package or ask your pharmacist. Keep all medicines away from children and pets.

Do not flush medicines down the toilet or down the drain unless instructed to do so. Discard this product when it has expired or when it is no longer needed.

Consult your pharmacist or local waste disposal company about how to safely dispose of your product.

Dose

The information provided is not a substitute for medical advice. ALWAYS consult your doctor or pharmacist before starting treatment.

What is the piroxicam dosage for adults?

The following is the recommended piroxicam dosage for adults:

• For osteoarthritis patients: 20 mg once a day or 10 mg twice a day. The maximum recommended daily dose is 20 mg.
• For pain relief: 20 mg once a day or 10 mg twice a day. The maximum recommended daily dose is 20 mg.
• For rheumatoid arthritis patients: 20 mg once daily or 10 mg twice daily. The maximum recommended daily dose is 20 mg.

What is the dosage of piroxicam for children?

The dose of piroxicam for pain management in children is 0.2 to 0.3 mg / kg body weight once a day. The maximum daily dose is 15 mg.

In what dosage is Piroxicam available?

Piroxicam is available in capsule form, containing 10 mg and 20 mg.

Piroxicam side effects

Possible side effects of piroxicam?

Like other drugs, piroxicam also has the potential to trigger side effects in some people.

If side effects occur, stop using piroxicam and seek medical help or contact your doctor immediately if you experience:

• Chest pain, fatigue, shortness of breath, slurred speech, problems with vision or balance
• Black or bloody stools
• Coughing up blood or vomiting that looks like coffee grounds
• Swelling or weight gain rapidly
• Urinating less frequently than usual or not at all
• Nausea, stomach pain, fever, loss of appetite, dark urine, clay-colored stools, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes)
• Fever, sore throat and headache and there is a red rash on the skin
• Bruising, severe tingling, numbness, pain, muscle weakness
• Fever, headache, stiff neck, chills, increased sensitivity to light, purple spots on the skin or convulsions

Less serious effects of piroxicam include:

• Nausea, light heartburn or stomach pain, diarrhea, constipation
• Bloating
• Dizziness, headache, nervousness
• Itchy skin, rash
• Blurred vision; or
• The ringing in your ears

Not everyone experiences the above side effects after taking piroxicam. There may be some side effects not listed above.

If you have concerns about certain side effects, consult your doctor or pharmacist.

Warning and attention

What should be known before using this drug?

Before deciding to prescribe or use a drug, the doctor will weigh the benefits it brings with the risks it may face. That is why, this decision must be made together with your doctor.

There are several things you need to pay attention to before taking piroxicam, namely:

Allergy

Tell your doctor if you have had any different reactions or are allergic to piroxicam or any other medications. And tell your doctor if you have certain allergies, such as to food, dyes, preservatives, or animals.

For over-the-counter products, read the labels or ingredients on the packaging carefully.

Children

There is not enough research related to the use of piroxicam for children. It is not yet known the efficacy or safety of this drug for this age group.

Elderly

Research conducted to date has not demonstrated specific problems regarding the limited use of piroxicam in elderly patients.

However, elderly patients are more sensitive to parts of the stomach (such as peptic ulcers and bleeding) than young adults, and are more likely to develop kidney problems.

Therefore, elderly patients need caution and dose adjustments when undergoing treatment with piroxicam.

Is piroxicam safe for pregnant and lactating women?

There is no adequate research on the risks of using piroxicam for pregnant or breastfeeding women. Always consult your doctor to weigh the potential benefits and risks before using this medication.

This medicine falls into a category C (possibly risky) pregnancy risk according to US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or equivalent to the POM in Indonesia.

The following references the pregnancy risk categories according to the FDA:

• A = Not at risk
• B = No risk in several studies
• C = May be risky
• D = There is positive evidence of risk
• X = Contraindicated
• N = Unknown

Studies in women have shown that piroxicam poses only minimal risk to infants when used during breastfeeding.

Drug interactions

What medicines may interact with piroxicam?

Drug interactions can change the performance of your medications or increase the risk of serious side effects. Not all possible drug interactions are listed in this article.

Keep a list of all the medicines you use, whether prescription, over-the-counter drugs, including herbal products and consult your doctor or pharmacist. Do not start, stop, or change the dose of any medicine without your doctor's approval.

Using the drug piroxicam with any of the following drugs is not recommended. Your doctor may decide not to treat you with this drug or change some of the medicines you have used.

• Ketorolac

Using the drug piroxicam with any of the following drugs is usually not recommended, but may be needed in some cases. If both drugs are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or the frequency with which you use one or both drugs.

• Abciximab
• Argatroban
• Beta Glucan
• Bivalirudin
• Ceritinib
• Certoparin
• Cilostazol
• Cyclosporine
• Dabigatran Etexilate
• Dabrafenib
• Dalteparin
• Danaparoid
• Desirudin
• Dicumarol
• Dipyridamole
• Duloxetine
• Enoxaparin
• Eptifibatide
• Femoxetine
• Feverfew
• Flesinoxan
• Fluoxetine
• Fondaparinux
• Ginkgo
• Gossypol
• Heparin
• Lepirudin
• Levomilnacipran
• Meadowsweet
• Methotrexate
• Milnacipran
• Nadroparin
• Nefazodone
• Nitisinone
• Parnaparin
• Paroxetine
• Pemetrexed
• Pentosan Polysulfate Sodium
• Pentoxifylline
• Pralatrexate
• Prasugrel
• Protein C
• Reviparin
• Rivaroxaban
• Sibutramine
• Tacrolimus
• Ticlopidine
• Tinzaparin
• Tirofiban
• Venlafaxine
• Vilazodone
• Vortioxetine
• Zimeldine

Can food or alcohol interact with piroxicam?

Certain drugs should not be used with meals or when eating certain foods because drug interactions can occur.

Smoking or consuming alcohol with certain drugs can also cause interactions to occur.

What health conditions can interact with this drug?

The existence of other health problems in your body can affect the use of the drug piroxicam. Tell your doctor if you have other health problems before taking piroxicam, in particular:

• Anemia or bleeding problems
• Blood clotting
• Edema (fluid retention or swelling due to fluid build-up)
• Have a history of heart attack
• Heart disease (for example, congestive heart failure)
• History of hepatitis
• Hypertension (high blood pressure)
• Kidney illness
• History of gastric ulcers or gastric bleeding
• History of stroke — Use with caution. Can make the condition worse
• Asthma history
• A history of aspirin sensitivity — should not be given to patients with this condition
• Heart surgery (such as, coronary artery bypass graft surgery) - should not be used to reduce pain either before or after surgery
• Liver disease - use with caution. The effect may be increased due to the slowly leaving the drug in the body

Overdose

What should I do in an emergency or overdose?

In case of an emergency or overdose, contact the local emergency services provider (119) or immediately to the nearest hospital emergency department.

Signs of a piroxicam overdose include:

• Lack of energy
• Sleepy
• Nausea
• Throws up
• Stomach ache
• The stool is black and bloody
• Vomits a substance that is bloody or looks like coffee grounds
• Difficulty breathing
• Coma (loss of consciousness for a period of time)

What should I do if I miss a dose?

If you forget a dose of piroxicam, take it as soon as possible. However, when it is nearing the time of the next dose, skip the missed dose and return to the usual dosing schedule. Don't double the dose.