Diclofenac Topical Gel and 1% vs Triamcinolone Acetonide: side effects in FDA adverse event reports
At a glance
| Diclofenac Topical Gel and 1% | Triamcinolone Acetonide | |
|---|---|---|
| Drug class | – | Corticosteroid |
| Brand names | Diclofenac Sodium | – |
| FAERS reports | 35,579 | 30,695 |
| Serious | 78% | 46% |
| Death outcome | 6,894 | 3,066 |
| Boxed warning | No | No |
Signals both drugs share
| Reaction | Diclofenac Topical Gel and 1% | Triamcinolone Acetonide | Label screen (A / B) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duodenal ulcer perforation | 3,741 · PRR 619.6 | 927 · PRR 98.7 | No label text to screen / Labeled (related wording) |
| Subcutaneous drug absorption impaired | 175 · PRR 279.8 | 74 · PRR 107.3 | No label text to screen / Labeled (related wording) |
| Rheumatic fever | 2,767 · PRR 1,039.6 | 776 · PRR 147.6 | No label text to screen / Likely indication confounding |
| Facet joint syndrome | 1,628 · PRR 636.8 | 734 · PRR 207.6 | No label text to screen / Not in label — unassessed |
| Peripheral venous disease | 1,265 · PRR 274.3 | 539 · PRR 106.5 | No label text to screen / Not in label — unassessed |
| Deep vein thrombosis postoperative | 1,238 · PRR 1,029.6 | 365 · PRR 156.3 | No label text to screen / Not in label — unassessed |
| Dislocation of vertebra | 944 · PRR 437.7 | 285 · PRR 100.3 | No label text to screen / Not in label — unassessed |
| Adjustment disorder with depressed mood | 942 · PRR 521.8 | 275 · PRR 107.9 | No label text to screen / Not in label — unassessed |
| Lupus vulgaris | 840 · PRR 1,455.5 | 260 · PRR 191.1 | No label text to screen / Not in label — unassessed |
| Retinitis | 718 · PRR 448.2 | 277 · PRR 135.9 | No label text to screen / Not in label — unassessed |
| Seronegative arthritis | 353 · PRR 271.4 | 145 · PRR 101.3 | No label text to screen / Likely indication confounding |
| Hypocholesterolaemia | 139 · PRR 489.0 | 96 · PRR 310.5 | No label text to screen / Not in label — unassessed |
| Swollen joint count | 121 · PRR 575.7 | 65 · PRR 245.6 | No label text to screen / Not in label — unassessed |
| Hepatic enzyme | 88 · PRR 1,021.7 | 64 · PRR 581.8 | No label text to screen / Not in label — unassessed |
| Sleep disorder due to general medical condition, hypersomnia type | 34 · PRR 303.6 | 26 · PRR 239.6 | No label text to screen / Likely indication confounding |
Labeled signals distinctive to Diclofenac Topical Gel and 1%
- None stood out among the strongest labeled signals.
Labeled signals distinctive to Triamcinolone Acetonide
- Hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis suppression — n=43, PRR 94.2 Labeled (related wording)
- Conjunctival ulcer — n=17, PRR 96.9 Labeled (related wording)
Common questions
Which has more reported side effects, Diclofenac Topical Gel and 1% or Triamcinolone Acetonide?
Diclofenac Topical Gel and 1% has 35,579 FAERS reports and Triamcinolone Acetonide 30,695. More reports does not mean more dangerous: volume follows how widely and how long a drug has been used, prescription vs over-the-counter status, and publicity. The seriousness share (78% vs 46%) is a better like-for-like signal of the kind of problems reported.
Which side effects do Diclofenac Topical Gel and 1% and Triamcinolone Acetonide share?
Both drugs carry disproportionality signals for duodenal ulcer perforation, subcutaneous drug absorption impaired, rheumatic fever, facet joint syndrome, peripheral venous disease. Shared signals often reflect a shared drug class or the condition both are used for.
Is Diclofenac Topical Gel and 1% or Triamcinolone Acetonide safer?
FAERS cannot answer that: it has no denominator and no comparator. Use this page to see which risks are already on each label and which signals are unlabeled, then check the prescribing information and your clinician for your situation.
Sources: openFDA FAERS pair statistics (OpenPV build 2026-09-14), FDA labels via openFDA, openFDA count queries for seriousness and deaths. Pair chosen because it is a commonly searched comparison. Generated 2026-10-08.