Drug interactions
Escitalopram + Meloxicam
Severity: Moderate
Escitalopram and Meloxicam: 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 SSRI with an NSAID increases the risk of bleeding, especially from the upper gastrointestinal tract. The risk is greater in older patients and those with prior ulcers or on anticoagulants or corticosteroids.
What this interaction means in plain words
Escitalopram and Meloxicam 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.
Escitalopram belongs to Central Nervous System; Meloxicam belongs to Musculoskeletal.
Why it happens
SSRIs deplete platelet serotonin and impair aggregation, while meloxicam inhibits platelet thromboxane and damages gastric mucosa, producing additive bleeding risk.
What to do
Avoid the combination in patients at high GI risk or add a proton pump inhibitor for gastroprotection. Monitor for melena, hematemesis and anemia.
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 Meloxicam
- Ketorolac intranasal + Meloxicam Contraindicated
- Ketorolac + Meloxicam Contraindicated
- Aceclofenac + Meloxicam Major
- Acemetacin + Meloxicam Major
- Acetylsalicylic acid + Meloxicam Major
- Alteplase + Meloxicam Major
Other interactions of Escitalopram
- Cisapride + Escitalopram Contraindicated
- Citalopram + Escitalopram Contraindicated
- Escitalopram + Isocarboxazid Contraindicated
- Escitalopram + Methylene blue Contraindicated
- Escitalopram + Phenelzine Contraindicated
- Escitalopram + Pimozide Contraindicated
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Escitalopram with Meloxicam?
MediHelp rates the interaction as moderate. Escitalopram and Meloxicam 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 SSRI with an NSAID increases the risk of bleeding, especially from the upper gastrointestinal tract. The risk is greater in older patients and those with prior ulcers or on anticoagulants or corticosteroids.
How serious is the interaction between Escitalopram and Meloxicam?
MediHelp rates it moderate, on a four-level scale (minor, moderate, major, contraindicated) based on published labels and references. What to do, in brief: Avoid the combination in patients at high GI risk or add a proton pump inhibitor for gastroprotection. Monitor for melena, hematemesis and anemia.
What other medicines interact with Meloxicam?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Meloxicam with, for example, Ketorolac intranasal, Ketorolac, Aceclofenac. The full list is on the Meloxicam page.
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