Acetic acid derivatives and related substances

Ketorolac Tromethamine

Approved 20 Aug 2020InjectionInjectable

The FDA lists this product in 60 strengths and forms.

Boxed warningThe FDA label of this medicine carries a boxed warning, the strongest warning the FDA gives. Read it under warnings and precautions.

Indications

Carefully consider the potential benefits and risks of ketorolac tromethamine and other treatment options before deciding to use ketorolac. Use the lowest effective dose for the shortest duration consistent with individual patient treatment goals (see WARNINGS). Acute Pain in Adult Patients Ketorolac tromethamine is indicated for the short-term (≤5 days) management of moderately severe acute pain that requires analgesia at the opioid level, usually in a postoperative setting.

Therapy should always be initiated with intravenous or intramuscular dosing of ketorolac tromethamine, and oral ketorolac tromethamine is to be used only as continuation treatment, if necessary. The total combined duration of use of ketorolac tromethamine injection and oral ketorolac tromethamine is not to exceed 5 days of use because of the potential of increasing the frequency and severity of adverse reactions associated with the recommended doses (see WARNINGS, PRECAUTIONS, DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION, and ADVERSE REACTION S).

Patients should be switched to alternative analgesics as soon as possible, but ketorolac tromethamine therapy is not to exceed 5 days.

Contraindications

(see also Boxed WARNING ) Ketorolac Tromethamine is contraindicated in patients with previously demonstrated hypersensitivity to ketorolac tromethamine. Ketorolac tromethamine is contraindicated in patients with active peptic ulcer disease, in patients with recent gastrointestinal bleeding or perforation and in patients with a history of peptic ulcer disease or gastrointestinal bleeding. Ketorolac tromethamine should not be given to patients who have experienced asthma, urticaria, or allergic-type reactions after taking aspirin or other NSAIDs.

Severe, rarely fatal, anaphylacticlike reactions to NSAIDs have been reported in such patients (see WARNINGS – Anaphylactoid Reactions, and PRECAUTIONS – Pre-existing Asthma ). Ketorolac tromethamine is contraindicated as prophylactic analgesic before any major surgery. Ketorolac tromethamine is contraindicated in the setting of coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery (see WARNINGS ). Ketorolac tromethamine is contraindicated in patients with advanced renal impairment or in patients at risk for renal failure due to volume depletion (see WARNINGS for correction of volume depletion).

Warnings and precautions

SECTION Ketorolac tromethamine, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), is indicated for the short-term (up to 5 days in adults) management of moderately severe acute pain that requires analgesia at the opioid level. Oral ketorolac tromethamine is indicated only as continuation treatment following intravenous or intramuscular dosing of ketorolac tromethamine, if necessary. The total combined duration of use of oral ketorolac tromethamine and ketorolac tromethamine injection should not exceed 5 days.

Ketorolac tromethamine is not indicated for use in pediatric patients and it is NOT indicated for minor or chronic painful conditions. Increasing the dose of ketorolac tromethamine beyond the label recommendations will not provide better efficacy but will increase the risk of developing serious adverse events. GASTROINTESTINAL RISK Ketorolac tromethamine can cause peptic ulcers, gastrointestinal bleeding and/or perforation of the stomach or intestines, which can be fatal.

These events can occur at any time during use and without warning symptoms. Therefore, ketorolac tromethamine is CONTRAINDICATED in patients with active peptic ulcer disease, in patients with recent gastrointestinal bleeding or perforation, and in patients with a history of peptic ulcer disease or gastrointestinal bleeding. Elderly patients are at greater risk for serious gastrointestinal events (see WARNINGS ). 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).
Ketorolac tromethamine is CONTRAINDICATED in the setting of coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery (see CONTRAINDICATIONS and WARNINGS). RENAL RISK
Ketorolac tromethamine is CONTRAINDICATED in patients with advanced renal impairment and in patients at risk for renal failure due to volume depletion (see WARNINGS ). RISK OF BLEEDING Ketorolac tromethamine inhibits platelet function and is, therefore, CONTRAINDICATED in patients with suspected or confirmed cerebrovascular bleeding, patients with hemorrhagic diathesis, incomplete hemostasis and those at high risk of bleeding (see WARNINGS and PRECAUTIONS ). Ketorolac tromethamine is CONTRAINDICATED as prophylactic analgesic before any major surgery. HYPERSENSITIVITY
Hypersensitivity reactions, ranging from bronchospasm to anaphylactic shock, have occurred and appropriate counteractive measures must be available when administering the first dose of ketorolac tromethamine injection (see CONTRAINDICATIONS and WARNINGS ). Ketorolac tromethamine is CONTRAINDICATED in patients with previously demonstrated hypersensitivity to ketorolac tromethamine or allergic manifestations to aspirin or other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). INTRATHECAL OR EPIDURAL ADMINISTRATION
Ketorolac tromethamine is CONTRAINDICATED for intrathecal or epidural administration due to its alcohol content. RISK DURING LABOR AND DELIVERY
The use of ketorolac tromethamine in labor and delivery is CONTRAINDICATED because it may adversely affect fetal circulation and inhibit uterine contractions. CONCOMITANT USE WITH NSAIDs
Ketorolac tromethamine is CONTRAINDICATED in patients currently receiving aspirin or NSAIDs because of the cumulative risk of inducing serious NSAID-related side effects. SPECIAL POPULATIONS
Dosage should be adjusted for patients 65 years or older, for patients under 50 kg (110 lbs.) of body weight (see DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION) and for patients with moderately elevated serum creatinine (see WARNINGS ). Doses of ketorolac tromethamine injection are not to exceed 60 mg (total dose per day) in these patients. DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION Ketorolac Tromethamine Tablets
Ketorolac tromethamine tablets are indicated only as continuation therapy to ketorolac tromethamine injection, and the combined duration of use of ketorolac tromethamine injection and ketorolac tromethamine tablets is not to exceed 5 (five) days, because of the increased risk of serious adverse events.
The recommended total daily dose of ketorolac tromethamine tablets (maximum 40 mg) is significantly lower than for ketorolac tromethamine injection (maximum 120 mg) (see DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION ). (See also Boxed WARNING. ) The total combined duration of use of oral ketorolac tromethamine and intravenous or intramuscular dosing of ketorolac tromethamine is not to exceed 5 days in adults. Ketorolac tromethamine is not indicated for use in pediatric patients. The most serious risks associated with ketorolac tromethamine are:
Gastrointestinal Effects – Risk of Ulceration, Bleeding and Perforation : Ketorolac tromethamine is contraindicated in patients with previously documented peptic ulcers and/ or gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding. Ketorolac tromethamine can cause serious GI adverse events including 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 ketorolac tromethamine. Only one in five patients who develop a serious upper GI adverse event on NSAID therapy is symptomatic. Minor upper gastrointestinal problems, such as dyspepsia, are common and may also occur at any time during NSAID therapy. The incidence and severity of gastrointestinal complications increases with increasing dose of, and duration of treatment with ketorolac tromethamine. Do not use ketorolac tromethamine formore than five days. However, even short-term therapy is not without risk. In addition to past history of ulcer disease, other factors that increase the risk for GI bleeding in patients treated with NSAIDs include concomitant use of oral corticosteroids, or anticoagulants, longer duration of NSAID therapy, smoking, use of alcohol, older age, and poor general health status. Most spontaneous reports of fatal GI events are in elderly or debilitated patients and therefore, special care should be taken in treating this population. To minimize the potential risk for an adverse GI event, the lowest effective dose should be used for the shortest possible duration. Patients and physicians should remain alert for signs and symptoms of GI ulceration and bleeding during NSAID therapy and promptly initiate additional evaluation and treatment if a serious GI adverse event is suspected. This should include discontinuation of ketorolac tromethamine until a serious GI adverse event is ruled out. For high risk patients, alternate therapies that do not involve NSAIDs should be considered. NSAIDs should be given with care to patients with a history of inflammatory bowel disease (ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease) as their condition may be exacerbated. Hemorrhage Because prostaglandins play an important role in hemostasis and NSAIDs affect platelet aggregation as well, use of ketorolac tromethamine in patients who have coagulation disorders should be undertaken very cautiously, and those patients should be carefully monitored. Patients on therapeutic doses of anticoagulants (e.g., heparin or dicumarol derivatives) have an increased risk of bleeding complications if given ketorolac tromethamine concurrently; therefore, physicians should administer such concomitant therapy only extremely cautiously. The concurrent use of ketorolac tromethamine and therapy that affects hemostasis, including prophylactic low-dose heparin (2500-5000 units every 12 hours), warfarin and dextrans have not been studied extensively, but may also be associated with an increased risk of bleeding. Until data from such studies are available, physicians should carefully weigh the benefits against the risks, and use such concomitant therapy in these patients only extremely cautiously. Patients receiving therapy that affects hemost

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Adverse reactions

Adverse reaction rates increase with higher doses of ketorolac tromethamine. Practitioners should be alert for the severe complications of treatment with ketorolac tromethamine, such as G.I. ulceration, bleeding and perforation, postoperative bleeding, acute renal failure, anaphylactic and anaphylactoid reactions and liver failure (see Boxed WARNING, WARNINGS, PRECAUTIONS, and DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION ). These NSAID-related complications can be serious in certain patients for whom ketorolac tromethamine is indicated, especially when the drug is used inappropriately.

In patients taking ketorolac tromethamine or other NSAIDs in clinical trials, the most frequently reported adverse experiences in approximately 1% to 10% of patients are: Additional adverse experiences reported occasionally (<1% in patients taking ketorolac tromethamine or other NSAIDs in clinical trials) include: Body as a Whole : fever, infections, sepsis Cardiovascular : congestive heart failure, palpitation, pallor, tachycardia, syncope Dermatologic : alopecia, photosensitivity, urticaria Gastrointestinal : anorexia, dry mouth, eructation, esophagitis, excessive thirst, gastritis, glossitis, hematemesis, hepatitis, increased appetite, jaundice, melena, rectal bleeding Hemic and Lymphatic : ecchymosis, eosinophilia, epistaxis, leukopenia, thrombocytopenia Metabolic and Nutritional : weight change Nervous System : abnormal dreams, abnormal thinking, anxiety, asthenia, confusion, depression, euphoria, extrapyramidal symptoms, hallucinations, hyperkinesis, inability to concentrate, insomnia, nervousness, paresthesia, somnolence, stupor, tremors, vertigo, malaise Reproductive, female: infertility Respiratory : asthma, cough, dyspnea, pulmonary edema, rhinitis Special Senses : abnormal taste, abnormal vision, blurred vision, hearing loss Urogenital : cystitis, dysuria, hematuria, increased urinary frequency, interstitial nephritis, oliguria/ polyuria, proteinuria, renal failure, urinary retention Other rarely observed reactions (reported from postmarketing experience in patients taking ketorolac tromethamine or other NSAIDs) are: Body as a Whole: angioedema, death, hypersensitivity reactions such as anaphylaxis, anaphylactoid reaction, laryngeal edema, tongue edema (see WARNINGS ), myalgia Cardiovascular : arrhythmia, bradycardia, chest pain, flushing, hypotension, myocardial infarction, vasculitis Dermatologic : exfoliative dermatitis, erythema multiforme, Lyell’s syndrome, bullous reactions including Stevens-Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis, and fixed drug eruption (FDE) Gastrointestinal : acute pancreatitis, liver failure, ulcerative stomatitis, exacerbation of inflammatory bowel disease (ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease) Hemic and Lymphatic : agranulocytosis, aplastic anemia, hemolytic anemia, lymphadenopathy, pancytopenia, post operative wound hemorrhage (rarely requiring blood transfusion — see Boxed WARNING, WARNINGS, and PRECAUTIONS ) Metabolic and Nutritional : hyperglycemia, hyperkalemia, hyponatremia Nervous System : aseptic meningitis, convulsions, coma, psychosis Respiratory : bronchospasm, respiratory depression, pneumonia Special Senses : conjunctivitis Urogenital : flank pain with or without hematuria and/or azotemia, hemolytic uremic syndrome Postmarketing Surveillance Study A large postmarketing observational, nonrandomized study, involving approximately 10,000 patients receiving ketorolac tromethamine, demonstrated that the risk of clinically serious gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding was dose-dependent (see Tables 3A and 3B ).

This was particularly true in elderly patients who received an average daily dose greater than 60 mg/day of ketorolac tromethamine (see Table 3A ) GI Table 3

Ketorolac Tromethamine

Indications

Contraindications

Two medicines in one question?

Warnings and precautions

Adverse reactions

Composition

Strengths and forms

Official product information

At a glance

Guidelines