Gabapentin vs Meloxicam: side effects in FDA adverse event reports
At a glance
| Gabapentin | Meloxicam | |
|---|---|---|
| Drug class | – | Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drug |
| Brand names | – | – |
| FAERS reports | 362,501 | 57,729 |
| Serious | 63% | 58% |
| Death outcome | 34,219 | 3,732 |
| Boxed warning | No | Yes RISK OF SERIOUS CARDIOVASCULAR AND GASTROINTESTINAL EVENTS WARNING: RISK OF SERIOUS CARDIOVASCULAR AND GASTROINTESTINAL EVENTS See full prescribing information |
Signals both drugs share
| Reaction | Gabapentin | Meloxicam | Label screen (A / B) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rebound acid hypersecretion | 490 · PRR 10.8 | 267 · PRR 34.6 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Hyperparathyroidism secondary | 524 · PRR 14.9 | 153 · PRR 23.3 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Chronic kidney disease-mineral and bone disorder | 268 · PRR 18.9 | 81 · PRR 29.5 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
Labeled signals distinctive to Gabapentin
- Infusion site pain — n=1,220, PRR 6.0 Labeled (related wording)
- Infusion site erythema — n=754, PRR 5.7 Labeled (related wording)
- Infusion site swelling — n=569, PRR 5.8 Labeled (related wording)
- Suspected suicide — n=441, PRR 5.8 Labeled (related wording)
- Infusion site infection — n=232, PRR 6.5 Labeled (related wording)
- Accidental death — n=229, PRR 8.0 Labeled (related wording)
Labeled signals distinctive to Meloxicam
- Duodenal ulcer perforation — n=648, PRR 35.1 Labeled — boxed warning
- Sleep disorder due to general medical condition, insomnia type — n=443, PRR 26.8 Labeled (related wording)
- Peripheral venous disease — n=305, PRR 30.0 Labeled (related wording)
- Rheumatoid lung — n=66, PRR 26.6 Labeled (related wording)
Common questions
Which has more reported side effects, Gabapentin or Meloxicam?
Gabapentin has 362,501 FAERS reports and Meloxicam 57,729. 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 (63% vs 58%) is a better like-for-like signal of the kind of problems reported.
Which side effects do Gabapentin and Meloxicam share?
Both drugs carry disproportionality signals for rebound acid hypersecretion, hyperparathyroidism secondary, chronic kidney disease-mineral and bone disorder. Shared signals often reflect a shared drug class or the condition both are used for.
Is Gabapentin or Meloxicam 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.