06 Apr 2022
Ketorolac is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) drug. Toradol is the generic form of Ketorolac and it is available in various brands such as Birolac, Sprix, Toradol IM, Toradol IV/IM. It is used for moderate to severe pain.
It is used for a short term i.e. 5 days or less. It cannot be consumed for more than 5 days. Ketorolac is a prescribed medicine and it is not available over the counter. It is available in both injection and oral tablet form. You can buy Toradol over the counter online from certified online pharmacy.
Cyclobenzaprine is a skeletal muscle relaxant. It is used for a short-term purpose to treat muscle spasms. Cyclobenzaprine is a generic form. It is also available in brands like Amrix, Fexmid, Flexeril. It helps to relax muscles, relieve pain and stiffness.
It comes in the form of extended-release oral capsules and in oral tablets also. Cyclobenzaprine is used as a part of the combination theory which means you have to take it with other medicines. It is not an OTC medication though You can also get cyclobenzaprine online from online pharmacy but it is recommended to get doctor's prescription first.
How Do Ketorolac And Cyclobenzaprine Actually Work?
Sometimes, tissues in your body get injured by bacteria, toxins, heat or any other cause. Damaged cells and tissues in your body release some chemicals including prostaglandins, histamine and bradykinin. This causes swelling or pain.
Fluid gets accumulated in the blood vessels and the tissues. Ketorolac works by blocking production of these natural substances preventing fever, pain, swelling or inflammation in your body (Buckley, M.M.T. and Brogden, R.N., 1990).
Cyclobenzaprine is a part of the drug class named muscle relaxant. Drug class means a group of medicines which work in the same way.
There are some nerve fibres such as alpha and gamma motor systems in the human body that directly connect with skeletal muscles. Cyclobenzaprine relaxes muscles by reducing hyperactivity of muscles. It numbs the sense of pain in your body (Browning, R., Jackson, J.L. and O'Malley, P.G., 2001).
Most Important Information About Ketorolac And Cyclobenzaprine
Ketorolac has a high risk of stroke and fatal heart attack. It does not matter, even if you are not prone to an attack, you can still get it. The usage of this medicine just before or after heart bypass surgery is not advised. Ketorolac can also cause intestinal or stomach bleeding, which can prove to be fatal. These conditions occur without warning or any other signs while using Ketorolac.
There are some conditions where you should not use Ketorolac.
- Severe dehydration
- Kidney disease
- History of asthma
- If you are scheduled to have a surgery
- Active or recent stomach or intestinal ulcers
- Bleeding from a recent surgery
- Close head injury or bleeding in brain
Cyclobenzaprine is not primarily meant to be harmful if taken under proper guidance. It can be harmful if consumed without knowledge. It has a major effect on heart disease and thyroid. You should also not take Cyclobenzaprine if you have taken MAO inhibitors (antidepressants).
You should not consume Cyclobenzaprine if you have:
- Had a recent heart attack
- Heart rhythm disorders
- Congestive heart failure
- Heart block
- Hyperthyroidism (a certain type of thyroid disorder)
Precautions: Ketorolac and Cyclobenzaprine
Pregnancy is one of the most beautiful phases of your life. You try to take extra care of everything in your surroundings and your health. But don't forget about medicines. In pregnancy you face problems like muscle pain, back pain, body pain, muscle spasms and many more.
You try to get rid of them using pain relief medicines. Cyclobenzaprine and Ketorolac are the most prescribed medicines for pain relief. Let's see if they are harmful during pregnancy or not.
Taking Ketorolac (NSAID) while planning pregnancy, during or after pregnancy is harmful. FDA has recommended that pregnant womens should not take NSAIDs at 20 weeks gestation or later.
Use of this medication can inhibit prostaglandin and cyclooxygenase synthesis and this may impair the fertility in females (Allegaert, K., 2017).
Taking NSAID during pregnancy can cause
- Foetal renal impairment
- Premature closure of ductus arteriosus
- Foetal ductus arteriosus
- Delay in labour and delivery
Cyclobenzaprine is considered safe during pregnancy and while breastfeeding also. The medicine does not pass on to mother’s milk. Cyclobenzaprine can be taken as advised by the physician during pregnancy.
There are no conclusive studies that throw light on the use of Cyclobenzaprine and pregnancy in humans. However, studies in animals suggest no significant impact on the foetus (Moreira, A., Barbin, C., Martinez, H., Aly, A. and Fonseca, R., 2014).
Side Effects Of Ketorolac And Cyclobenzaprine
Normal side effects of Ketorolac:
- Swelling on face
- Swelling fingers, lower legs, ankles and feet
- Weight gain
- High blood pressure
- Skin rash or itching
- Bruising
- Sores and ulcers
- Small or red spots on skin
- White spots on lips or in mouth
Rare side effects of Ketorolac:
Convulsions
- Blue lips and fingernails
- Chest pain
- Cough or hoarseness
- Dark urine
- Burning, tender, scaly, red, thick or peeling skin.
- Bloody or cloudy urine
- Abdominal and stomach pain
- Bloody or black and tarry stools
Usual side effects of Cyclobenzaprine.
- Tiredness
- Constipation
- Dry mouth
- Nausea
- Dizziness
- Heartburn
Serious side effects of Cyclobenzaprine.
- Irregular or fast heartbeat
- Skin rash
- Chest pain
- Difficulty in swallowing
- Difficulty in breathing
- Swelling on tongue or face
- Hives
Dosage Of Ketorolac and Cyclobenzaprine
Oral tablet dosage of Ketorolac
For adults, 10mg tablets four times a day or every four to six hours. It can be directed to take two tablets for the first dose only Minors up to 16 years old should take Ketorolac determined by a physician.
Injection dosage of Ketorolac
For adults, you can take 1ml of medicine four times a day or at least 6 hours apart. Some people might not need more than one injection with dose of 60 mg injected into the muscle.
For oral extended-release capsules:
For adults 15 milligrams(mg) once a day. Some people may need 30mg or two 15mg capsules per day. For childrens it is advised to consult a doctor for dosage.
For oral tablets:
Adults and children older than 15 should take 10 mg 3 times daily. And the largest amount consumed should be not more than 60mg in a day.Children younger than 15 years of age are suggested to take it with the assistance of a doctor.
Interactions Of Ketorolac And Cyclobenzaprine
Well the drugs Ketorolac and Cyclobenzaprine don't interact with each other. But they surely react with other drugs.
Ketorolac does interact with some products such as AEC inhibitors (lisinopril and captopril), aliskiren, lithium, probenecid, methotrexate, corticosteroid and other medications that may affect kidneys.
Cyclobenzaprine interacts with trycilic antidepressants such as imipramine and amitriptyline. It also interacts with MAO inhibitors like tranylcypromine, safinamide, rasagiline, phenelzine, isocarboxazid, linezolid etc. (Hromas, R., 2011)
Conclusion
To conclude both the medicines Ketorolac and Cyclobenzaprine are pain relief medications. Ketorolac is a NSAID drug and Cyclobenzaprine is a skeletal muscle relaxant. They do not interact with each other.
If we compare both, Ketorolac works faster than Cyclobenzaprine, but side effects of Ketorolac are more severe than Cyclobenzaprine. Pregnant women should not take Ketorolac, whereas Cyclobenzaprine is safe. Both medicines should not be consumed with alcohol.
