Drug interactions
Ketorolac + Sertraline
Severity: Major
Ketorolac and Sertraline: major 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
Using an SSRI with ketorolac raises the risk of bleeding, particularly from the upper gastrointestinal tract. The combination is clinically important because ketorolac is a potent NSAID with high ulcer risk.
What this interaction means in plain words
Ketorolac and Sertraline can interact in a way that may be serious. Using them together is sometimes necessary, but it needs a deliberate decision by the prescriber, a plan for monitoring, and clear advice on the warning signs to watch for.
Ketorolac belongs to Musculoskeletal; Sertraline belongs to Central Nervous System.
Why it happens
SSRI-mediated depletion of platelet serotonin combined with NSAID cyclooxygenase inhibition and mucosal injury.
What to do
Avoid or limit to a brief course, add a proton pump inhibitor for gastroprotection in at-risk patients, and monitor for signs of gastrointestinal bleeding.
What to ask your pharmacist
- Does the benefit of taking both outweigh the risk in my case?
- Do I need any blood test, ECG or other check while on both?
- What early warning signs should I watch for, and what should I do if they appear?
Pro+ members
Unlock the full page
Create an account and start a Pro+ trial to unlock the full management advice for Ketorolac and Sertraline, 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 14 days on the web. No card needed.
Other interactions of Ketorolac
- Aceclofenac + Ketorolac Contraindicated
- Acemetacin + Ketorolac Contraindicated
- Acetylsalicylic acid + Ketorolac Contraindicated
- Apixaban + Ketorolac Contraindicated
- Argatroban + Ketorolac Contraindicated
- Aspirin / citric acid / sodium bicarbonate + Ketorolac Contraindicated
Other interactions of Sertraline
- Isocarboxazid + Sertraline Contraindicated
- Methylene blue + Sertraline Contraindicated
- Phenelzine + Sertraline Contraindicated
- Pimozide + Sertraline Contraindicated
- Selegiline transdermal + Sertraline Contraindicated
- Selegiline + Sertraline Contraindicated
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Ketorolac with Sertraline?
MediHelp rates the interaction as major. Ketorolac and Sertraline can interact in a way that may be serious. Using them together is sometimes necessary, but it needs a deliberate decision by the prescriber, a plan for monitoring, and clear advice on the warning signs to watch for. Using an SSRI with ketorolac raises the risk of bleeding, particularly from the upper gastrointestinal tract. The combination is clinically important because ketorolac is a potent NSAID with high ulcer risk.
How serious is the interaction between Ketorolac and Sertraline?
MediHelp rates it major, on a four-level scale (minor, moderate, major, contraindicated) based on published labels and references. What to do, in brief: Avoid or limit to a brief course, add a proton pump inhibitor for gastroprotection in at-risk patients, and monitor for signs of gastrointestinal bleeding.
What other medicines interact with Ketorolac?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Ketorolac with, for example, Aceclofenac, Acemetacin, Acetylsalicylic acid. The full list is on the Ketorolac 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.
