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Caldolor

Generic name: ibuprofen injectionEYE-bue-proe-fen ]
Drug class: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs

Medically reviewed by Philip Thornton, DipPharm. Last updated on Aug 23, 2023.

What is Caldolor?

Caldolor injection is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). Ibuprofen works by reducing hormones that cause inflammation and pain in the body.

Caldolor injection is used to reduce fever and treat pain.

Caldolor may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide. Neoprofen, another brand of ibuprofen injection, is used in premature babies to treat a condition called patent ductus arteriosus (an abnormal blood vessel opening that normally closes shortly after birth).

Warnings

Caldolor can increase your risk of fatal heart attack or stroke, even if you don't have any risk factors. You should not receive this medicine just before or after heart bypass surgery (coronary artery bypass graft, or CABG).

Ibuprofen may also cause stomach or intestinal bleeding, which can be fatal. These conditions can occur without warning while you are using Caldolor, especially in older adults.

Before taking this medicine

Caldolor can increase your risk of fatal heart attack or stroke, even if you don't have any risk factors. You should not use this medicine just before or after heart bypass surgery (coronary artery bypass graft, or CABG).

Ibuprofen may also cause stomach or intestinal bleeding, which can be fatal. These conditions can occur without warning while you are using this medicine, especially in older adults.

You should not be treated with Caldolor if you are allergic to ibuprofen, or if you have ever had an asthma attack or severe allergic reaction after taking aspirin or an NSAID.

To make sure Caldolor is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have:

If you are pregnant, you should not receive Caldolor unless your doctor tells you to. Taking an NSAID during the last 20 weeks of pregnancy can cause serious heart or kidney problems in the unborn baby and possible complications with your pregnancy.

You should not breast-feed while using this medicine.

How is Caldolor injection given?

Caldolor is given as an infusion into a vein. A healthcare provider will give you this injection.

Drink plenty of liquids while you are receiving Caldolor injection.

What happens if I miss a dose?

Because you will receive your injection in a clinical setting, you are not likely to miss a dose.

What happens if I overdose?

Since this medication is given by a healthcare professional in a medical setting, an overdose is unlikely to occur.

What should I avoid while receiving Caldolor?

Avoid taking aspirin while you are receiving Caldolor.

Ask a doctor or pharmacist before using other medicines for pain, fever, swelling, or cold/flu symptoms. They may contain ingredients similar to ibuprofen (such as aspirin, ketoprofen, or naproxen).

Caldolor side effects

Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction to Caldolor: (hives, difficult breathing, swelling in your face or throat) or a severe skin reaction: (fever, sore throat, burning eyes, skin pain, red or purple skin rash with blistering and peeling).

Stop using Caldolor and seek medical treatment if you have a serious drug reaction that can affect many parts of your body. Symptoms may include skin rash, fever, swollen glands, muscle aches, severe weakness, unusual bruising, or yellowing of your skin or eyes.

Get emergency medical help if you have signs of a heart attack or stroke: chest pain spreading to your jaw or shoulder, sudden numbness or weakness on one side of the body, slurred speech, leg swelling, feeling short of breath.

Tell your caregivers at once if you have:

If your baby has been treated with Neoprofen, tell the doctor at once if the baby has:

Common Caldolor side effects may include:

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

What other drugs will affect Caldolor?

Tell your doctor about all your other medicines, especially:

This list is not complete. Other drugs may interact with ibuprofen, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Not all possible drug interactions are listed here.

Does Caldolor interact with my other drugs?

Enter medications to view a detailed interaction report using our Drug Interaction Checker.

Popular FAQ

Can I take ibuprofen with Ajovy?

There are no known drug interactions between Ajovy (fremanezumab) and ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), but you should talk to your doctor before you combine these medications. Serious side effects can occur with ibuprofen, such as stomach or intestinal bleeding, rash, swelling, problems with your kidneys, or an increased risk of heart attack and stroke.

Ajovy is used to help prevent migraine episodes in adults. Ibuprofen is an over-the-counter analgesic used as an acute treatment to help stop migraine pain already in progress. If Ajovy is not adequately helping your migraine, your doctor may want to switch you to a different migraine prevention medicine or drug class.

Can you take ibuprofen with Mavyret?

While there’s no known interaction between ibuprofen and Mavyret, ibuprofen may not be suitable if you have hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. If you are taking Mavyret, check with your doctor before taking ibuprofen.

HCV slowly damages the liver and ibuprofen can also adversely affect the liver, causing liver enzymes to become elevated and in rare cases severe liver reactions and liver failure. In some cases the combination of ibuprofen and chronic hepatitis C has been reported to lead to drug-induced liver injury or damage (hepatotoxicity). Continue reading

Naproxen vs ibuprofen: What's the difference?

Ibuprofen is short acting, while naproxen is long acting and more likely to cause an upset stomach. Naproxen also increases the risk of uncontrolled bleeding in people taking blood thinners by 4-fold, and ibuprofen increases the risk 2-fold. Naproxen and ibuprofen are both NSAIDs so they are similar in many ways, but there are important differences. Continue reading

Can you take ibuprofen on an empty stomach?

Despite popular belief that you have to take ibuprofen with food, you can take ibuprofen on an empty stomach and this will give you faster pain relief than taking it with food. Food increases the time it takes for ibuprofen to be absorbed, although it won't affect how much is absorbed. There is actually no evidence that taking ibuprofen with food prevents gastric irritation – ibuprofen at OTC doses has a low incidence of gastric irritation anyway. Continue reading

What's the difference between aspirin and ibuprofen?

Even though aspirin and Ibuprofen are both NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) and work similarly, there are several differences between the two drugs and they are not considered interchangeable. Continue reading

Can you take expired ibuprofen?

Although taking expired ibuprofen is not recommended by the manufacturer, the actual shelf-life is likely to be longer than that indicated by the expiry date, with FDA testing showing many drugs are active for years beyond their expiry date, although specific data on ibuprofen is not available. Within reason, an ibuprofen tablet that is a few months past its expiry date is probably safe to take. Ibuprofen that is years past its expiry date should not be taken. Continue reading

Can you overdose on ibuprofen?

Despite ibuprofen having a wide safety margin, it is possible to overdose on it, but death from ibuprofen overdose is rare. Children are more susceptible to the effects of ibuprofen and likely to experience an overdosage of ibuprofen if dosages of more than 400mg/kg (in the range of 8000mg for a 20kg child [the equivalent of 40 x 200mg ibuprofen tablets]) are ingested. Studies have reported patients ingesting less than 99 mg/kg are unlikely to have symptoms. Continue reading

More FAQ

Further information

Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use Caldolor only for the indication prescribed.

Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.

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