Drug interactions
Cortisone + Mefenamic acid
Severity: Moderate
Cortisone and Mefenamic acid: 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
Corticosteroids combined with NSAIDs increase the risk of peptic ulceration and gastrointestinal bleeding beyond either drug alone.
What this interaction means in plain words
Cortisone and Mefenamic acid 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.
Why it happens
Additive gastric mucosal injury: NSAID depletion of protective prostaglandins plus corticosteroid impairment of mucosal healing.
What to do
Use the lowest NSAID dose for the shortest time and consider a proton pump inhibitor for gastroprotection in at-risk patients. Monitor for GI bleeding symptoms.
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?
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Other interactions of Mefenamic acid
- Ketorolac intranasal + Mefenamic acid Contraindicated
- Ketorolac + Mefenamic acid Contraindicated
- Aceclofenac + Mefenamic acid Major
- Acemetacin + Mefenamic acid Major
- Acetylsalicylic acid + Mefenamic acid Major
- Alteplase + Mefenamic acid Major
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Cortisone with Mefenamic acid?
MediHelp rates the interaction as moderate. Cortisone and Mefenamic acid 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. Corticosteroids combined with NSAIDs increase the risk of peptic ulceration and gastrointestinal bleeding beyond either drug alone.
How serious is the interaction between Cortisone and Mefenamic acid?
MediHelp rates it moderate, on a four-level scale (minor, moderate, major, contraindicated) based on published labels and references. What to do, in brief: Use the lowest NSAID dose for the shortest time and consider a proton pump inhibitor for gastroprotection in at-risk patients. Monitor for GI bleeding symptoms.
What other medicines interact with Mefenamic acid?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Mefenamic acid with, for example, Ketorolac intranasal, Ketorolac, Aceclofenac. The full list is on the Mefenamic acid page.
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