Drug interactions
Celecoxib + Dexamethasone
Severity: Moderate
Celecoxib and Dexamethasone: moderate interaction.
Last updated
For healthcare professionals — reference only. This page is a brief summary, not medical advice and not a substitute for official labeling or clinical judgement. Always verify before prescribing or dispensing.
Summary
Combining an NSAID with a systemic corticosteroid increases the chance of gastric or duodenal ulceration and bleeding. The risk is greater with higher steroid doses, longer courses, older age, or a history of ulcer disease.
What this interaction means in plain words
Celecoxib and Dexamethasone can affect each other. The combination is often manageable, but it may need a change of dose, a change of timing, or extra checks while both are taken.
Celecoxib belongs to Musculoskeletal; Dexamethasone belongs to Endocrine.
Why it happens
Additive pharmacodynamic mucosal injury from NSAID prostaglandin suppression and corticosteroid effects on mucosal protection and healing.
What to do
Limit the dose and duration of both drugs and add a proton pump inhibitor in patients with additional GI risk factors. Watch for signs of GI bleeding.
What to ask your pharmacist
- Should I take them at different times of day?
- Does the dose of either medicine need to change?
- Is there anything I should avoid, such as alcohol or certain foods, while on both?
Pro+ members
Unlock the full page
Create an account and start a Pro+ trial to unlock the full management advice for Celecoxib and Dexamethasone, the additional notes, the evidence detail and the whole-prescription interaction checker.
- Full clinical management advice
- Additional notes
- Evidence detail
- Interaction checker for a whole prescription
Try Pro+ free for 7 days on the web. No card needed.
Other interactions of Celecoxib
- Celecoxib + Ketorolac Contraindicated
- Celecoxib + Ketorolac intranasal Contraindicated
- Aceclofenac + Celecoxib Major
- Acemetacin + Celecoxib Major
- Amiloride + Celecoxib Major
- Apixaban + Celecoxib Major
Other interactions of Dexamethasone
- Bcg vaccine live + Dexamethasone Contraindicated
- Dexamethasone + Mifepristone Contraindicated
- Dexamethasone + Rilpivirine Contraindicated
- Dexamethasone + Smallpox vaccine live Contraindicated
- Dexamethasone + Varicella virus vaccine live Contraindicated
- Dexamethasone + Yellow fever vaccine Contraindicated
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Celecoxib with Dexamethasone?
MediHelp rates the interaction as moderate. Celecoxib and Dexamethasone can affect each other. The combination is often manageable, but it may need a change of dose, a change of timing, or extra checks while both are taken. Combining an NSAID with a systemic corticosteroid increases the chance of gastric or duodenal ulceration and bleeding. The risk is greater with higher steroid doses, longer courses, older age, or a history of ulcer disease.
How serious is the interaction between Celecoxib and Dexamethasone?
MediHelp rates it moderate, on a four-level scale (minor, moderate, major, contraindicated) based on published labels and references. What to do, in brief: Limit the dose and duration of both drugs and add a proton pump inhibitor in patients with additional GI risk factors. Watch for signs of GI bleeding.
What other medicines interact with Celecoxib?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Celecoxib with, for example, Ketorolac, Ketorolac intranasal, Aceclofenac. The full list is on the Celecoxib page.
Full monographs, dosing and an interaction checker in the MediHelp app
Open the complete reference, check multi-drug interactions and use dosing tools in the MediHelp app.
