Arcoxia (etoricoxib) is a prescription nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) in the COX-2 selective inhibitor class. It is used to relieve pain, stiffness, and swelling arising from inflammatory and degenerative joint diseases. Clinically, Arcoxia is prescribed for osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and short-term management of acute gouty arthritis. In some regions, it may also be used for acute pain (including dental pain) as directed by a clinician.
How it works: etoricoxib selectively inhibits cyclooxygenase-2 (COX‑2), an enzyme responsible for producing pro‑inflammatory prostaglandins at sites of injury and inflammation. By preferentially targeting COX‑2 rather than COX‑1, Arcoxia is designed to maintain anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects while reducing the likelihood of gastrointestinal (GI) irritation and ulceration associated with traditional, nonselective NSAIDs. That said, COX‑2 selectivity does not eliminate GI risks entirely, and cardiovascular and renal risks remain important considerations with all NSAIDs, including etoricoxib.
What Arcoxia can help with:
Arcoxia is not an opioid, is not habit-forming, and does not treat the underlying causes of autoimmune conditions. It offers symptomatic relief. For chronic inflammatory diseases, it is typically used alongside disease-modifying treatments and non-pharmacologic measures such as physical therapy, weight optimization, and exercise programs.
Use the lowest effective dose for the shortest duration necessary to control symptoms. Dosing should be individualized and reevaluated periodically based on clinical response, comorbidities, and risk factors.
Administration tips:
Arcoxia is intended for symptomatic relief. If pain and stiffness persist beyond a short course for acute conditions, or if long‑term therapy is needed in chronic disease, regular medical reviews are essential to reassess risks and benefits.
All NSAIDs, including COX‑2 selective agents like etoricoxib, carry potential risks. Before starting Arcoxia, discuss your full medical history and medication list with a healthcare professional. Important precautions include:
Lifestyle considerations can enhance safety: avoid smoking, limit alcohol, adhere to blood pressure and cholesterol management plans, and maintain adequate fluid intake during illness or heat exposure.
Do not use Arcoxia if any of the following apply:
Most people tolerate etoricoxib well at recommended doses, but side effects can occur. Seek medical advice if symptoms are persistent, concerning, or severe.
Common side effects:
Less common side effects:
Serious adverse effects (seek urgent care):
If you experience signs of anaphylaxis or stroke/heart attack, call emergency services immediately.
Inform your healthcare provider about all prescription and over‑the‑counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products you use. Important interactions include:
Always discuss any new medication with a healthcare professional before adding it to your regimen while taking Arcoxia.
If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember on the same day. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and take your regular dose at the usual time. Do not take two doses at once to make up for a missed dose.
Symptoms of overdose may include severe abdominal pain, persistent vomiting, marked drowsiness, dizziness, high blood pressure, difficulty breathing, or signs of GI bleeding. If an overdose is suspected:
Store Arcoxia tablets at controlled room temperature, ideally 20–25°C (68–77°F); brief excursions between 15–30°C (59–86°F) are generally acceptable. Keep tablets in the original blister or bottle, away from moisture and direct light. Do not store in the bathroom. Keep out of the reach of children and pets. Do not use after the expiration date printed on the package. Safely discard unused or expired medication according to local guidance; ask a pharmacist about medicine take-back options.
Regulatory status: etoricoxib (Arcoxia) is not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). As such, it cannot be legally marketed or dispensed for routine use within the United States. Any website or entity offering Arcoxia for shipment to U.S. addresses as an FDA‑approved product is misrepresenting its status.
Prescription requirements: in jurisdictions where Arcoxia is authorized, it is a prescription‑only medicine. Dispensing without a valid prescription and appropriate clinical oversight may violate local law and can put patients at significant health risk. In the U.S., obtaining prescription medications without a legitimate prescription is unlawful and unsafe. We do not endorse or facilitate any pathway to acquire Arcoxia without proper medical evaluation.
Clinical alternatives in the U.S.: for patients who may benefit from a COX‑2 selective NSAID, celecoxib is FDA‑approved and commonly considered. Other NSAIDs (e.g., naproxen, ibuprofen, diclofenac) may be suitable depending on individual risk factors. Your clinician will help weigh cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, renal, and hepatic risks and determine the lowest effective dose for the shortest duration appropriate to your condition.
Important note about third‑party claims: we cannot verify or endorse any claims by organizations or facilities that suggest Arcoxia can be obtained in the U.S. without a formal prescription. Any suggestion that a hospital, clinic, or intermediary offers a “legal and structured” route to access Arcoxia without prescription is not reliable guidance and may conflict with U.S. law and patient safety standards. Patients should consult their own licensed healthcare provider for lawful, evidence‑based options and never purchase prescription medicines from unverified sources.
This content is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for individualized medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Do not start, stop, or change any medication without consulting a qualified healthcare professional who can assess your personal medical history and current medications. In case of emergency, call your local emergency number. Regulatory information may change; verify current approvals and prescribing information with official sources or your pharmacist.
Arcoxia is the brand name for etoricoxib, a prescription nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) that selectively inhibits COX‑2. It’s used to relieve pain and inflammation with once-daily dosing.
It is commonly prescribed for osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, acute gouty arthritis, and short-term management of acute pain (including dental pain), depending on local approvals.
Etoricoxib blocks the COX‑2 enzyme that drives prostaglandin production in inflamed tissues, reducing pain, swelling, and stiffness, while sparing COX‑1, which helps protect the stomach lining and platelets.
Pain relief can begin within an hour, with peak effect in about 1–2 hours. Its long half-life supports 24-hour, once-daily dosing.
Typical doses are 30–60 mg once daily for osteoarthritis; 60–90 mg once daily for rheumatoid arthritis or ankylosing spondylitis; 90 mg once daily for acute pain; and up to 120 mg once daily short-term for acute gout. Use the lowest effective dose for the shortest possible time.
Avoid if you have an allergy to etoricoxib/NSAIDs, active stomach or intestinal ulcers or bleeding, severe liver disease, severe kidney impairment, uncontrolled high blood pressure, significant heart failure, or established ischemic heart disease, stroke, or peripheral arterial disease. It is contraindicated for pain management around coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery and not recommended in pregnancy.
Headache, dizziness, heartburn, indigestion, abdominal pain, nausea, ankle swelling, and increased blood pressure are most common. Many effects are dose-related.
Seek urgent care for chest pain, shortness of breath, sudden weakness or slurred speech (possible heart attack or stroke); black stools or vomiting blood (GI bleeding); severe allergic reactions; reduced urine or swelling (kidney issues); yellowing eyes/skin (liver injury); or severe skin reactions.
Like other NSAIDs, especially at higher doses and longer durations, it can increase the risk of heart attack and stroke. People with cardiovascular disease or multiple risk factors should generally avoid it or use it only with specialist guidance.
Do not combine with other NSAIDs (ibuprofen, naproxen, diclofenac) as this raises risk without added benefit. It can be combined with acetaminophen/paracetamol. If you take low-dose aspirin for heart protection, you may continue it, but the stomach-safety advantage of Arcoxia is reduced.
Important interactions include warfarin and other anticoagulants (bleeding/INR changes), lithium (increased levels), methotrexate (level/toxicity increases), diuretics/ACE inhibitors/ARBs (kidney risk), cyclosporine/tacrolimus (kidney risk), and SSRIs/SNRIs or corticosteroids (GI bleeding risk). Always review your full medication list with your clinician.
You can take it with or without food. Food may delay the onset slightly but does not reduce overall effect. Take it at the same time each day and do not exceed the prescribed dose.
For ongoing use, your clinician may check blood pressure and periodically assess kidney function and liver enzymes, especially if you have risk factors or take interacting drugs.
If you miss a dose, take it when remembered unless it’s close to the next dose; do not double up. Overdose can cause stomach upset, drowsiness, high blood pressure, kidney issues, or bleeding—seek medical attention.
No. It is not an opioid and does not cause dependence. Use only as directed to minimize side effects.
Yes. Etoricoxib is available as a generic in many regions, though availability and approved uses vary by country.
Alcohol increases the risk of stomach irritation and bleeding with any NSAID. If you drink, keep it minimal, avoid drinking on an empty stomach, and never exceed your Arcoxia dose; higher-risk patients should avoid alcohol.
No. NSAIDs, including etoricoxib, are not recommended in pregnancy and are contraindicated especially in the third trimester due to risks such as premature closure of the ductus arteriosus and fetal kidney problems (oligohydramnios). Avoid from 20 weeks onward and discuss safer alternatives.
Breastfeeding safety is uncertain. Because data are limited and potential risks exist, most guidelines advise avoiding etoricoxib during breastfeeding or using an alternative with better-established safety.
Your clinician or surgeon may advise stopping several days before procedures to reduce bleeding and kidney risks, even though COX‑2 inhibitors do not impair platelets like traditional NSAIDs. Arcoxia must not be used for pain control around CABG surgery.
Use with caution or avoid. It can raise blood pressure and may increase cardiovascular events. It is generally not recommended in patients with established cardiovascular disease or poorly controlled hypertension.
Avoid in severe kidney impairment and during dehydration. In mild to moderate impairment, careful monitoring is needed, especially if you also take diuretics, ACE inhibitors, or ARBs.
Often yes, but diabetes increases cardiovascular and kidney risks. Use the lowest effective dose, monitor blood pressure and kidney function, and review drug interactions.
If you feel dizzy, drowsy, or light-headed, do not drive or operate machinery. Otherwise, most people can continue normal activities.
Arcoxia offers once-daily dosing and generally less stomach ulceration than ibuprofen when used without aspirin. Ibuprofen is widely available over the counter and can be taken as needed, but may require multiple daily doses and has more GI irritation; cardiovascular risk increases with both at higher doses.
Naproxen may carry a relatively lower cardiovascular risk among NSAIDs but has more GI side effects and requires twice-daily dosing. Arcoxia tends to be gentler on the stomach but warrants more caution for cardiovascular risk, especially at higher doses.
Both are potent anti-inflammatories. In large studies, etoricoxib had similar cardiovascular risk to diclofenac but fewer upper GI events. Diclofenac can raise liver enzymes more often; Arcoxia can raise blood pressure. Choice depends on your risk profile and monitoring.
Both are COX‑2–preferential, once-daily options. Etoricoxib is more COX‑2 selective and may be kinder to the stomach, while meloxicam is often less costly and widely used. Cardiovascular and renal cautions apply to both.
Both are COX‑2 selective and designed for GI protection versus traditional NSAIDs. Celecoxib has robust trial data showing cardiovascular risk comparable to naproxen/ibuprofen at standard doses; etoricoxib showed CV risk similar to diclofenac with better GI tolerability. Celecoxib contains a sulfonamide group (caution with sulfa allergy); etoricoxib does not.
Both relieve acute gout pain, but indomethacin has higher rates of GI and central nervous system side effects (e.g., dizziness). Arcoxia provides effective gout relief with once-daily dosing and a more favorable GI profile but shares cardiovascular and renal cautions.
Ketoprofen often requires multiple daily doses and has higher GI irritation. Arcoxia is once-daily with improved GI tolerability but similar class warnings for heart, kidney, and blood pressure risks.
Piroxicam has a long half-life but carries a higher risk of serious GI toxicity. Arcoxia generally offers better GI tolerability with comparable anti-inflammatory effects and once-daily dosing, though CV cautions remain.
Nabumetone is a nonselective NSAID with somewhat improved GI tolerability versus older agents, often dosed once daily. Arcoxia, as a COX‑2 inhibitor, typically provides further GI protection but may require more caution regarding blood pressure and cardiovascular risk.
Aceclofenac (related to diclofenac) is usually twice daily and can affect the GI tract and liver enzymes. Arcoxia is once daily with better GI profiles in many patients but shares NSAID class risks; selection is individualized.
Parecoxib is an injectable COX‑2 inhibitor for short-term postoperative pain in hospital settings; Arcoxia is oral and used for chronic arthritic pain and short-term acute pain. Both avoid platelet inhibition, but neither should be used for CABG perioperative pain, and both carry CV/renal cautions.
