Ibuprofen vs Meloxicam: side effects in FDA adverse event reports
At a glance
| Ibuprofen | Meloxicam | |
|---|---|---|
| Drug class | Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drug | Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drug |
| Brand names | – | – |
| FAERS reports | 269,923 | 57,729 |
| Serious | 65% | 58% |
| Death outcome | 18,300 | 3,732 |
| Boxed warning | Yes Cardiovascular Thrombotic Events • Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) cause an increased risk of serious cardiovascular thrombotic events, including | 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 | Ibuprofen | Meloxicam | Label screen (A / B) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duodenal ulcer perforation | 2,987 · PRR 53.0 | 648 · PRR 35.1 | Labeled — boxed warning / Labeled — boxed warning |
| Sleep disorder due to general medical condition, insomnia type | 2,296 · PRR 42.8 | 443 · PRR 26.8 | Labeled (related wording) / Labeled (related wording) |
| Peripheral venous disease | 770 · PRR 18.4 | 305 · PRR 30.0 | Not in label — unassessed / Labeled (related wording) |
| Hand deformity | 2,887 · PRR 21.8 | 787 · PRR 23.2 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Muscle injury | 3,029 · PRR 45.2 | 509 · PRR 24.0 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Helicobacter infection | 2,915 · PRR 30.8 | 615 · PRR 23.3 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Rheumatic fever | 1,329 · PRR 33.7 | 557 · PRR 53.0 | Likely indication confounding / Likely indication confounding |
| Deep vein thrombosis postoperative | 865 · PRR 61.1 | 491 · PRR 121.4 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Facet joint syndrome | 827 · PRR 27.4 | 315 · PRR 40.2 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Adjustment disorder with depressed mood | 747 · PRR 45.4 | 283 · PRR 59.2 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Dislocation of vertebra | 675 · PRR 33.6 | 260 · PRR 48.0 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Lupus vulgaris | 461 · PRR 48.8 | 274 · PRR 108.7 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Tenosynovitis | 355 · PRR 11.3 | 227 · PRR 32.4 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Retinitis | 383 · PRR 22.9 | 185 · PRR 45.2 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Porphyria acute | 228 · PRR 15.2 | 163 · PRR 48.5 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
Labeled signals distinctive to Ibuprofen
- Glossodynia — n=3,142, PRR 12.6 Labeled (related wording)
- Fixed eruption — n=228, PRR 11.9 Labeled (related wording)
- Gastric ulcer perforation — n=216, PRR 15.8 Labeled — boxed warning
Labeled signals distinctive to Meloxicam
- Rheumatoid lung — n=66, PRR 26.6 Labeled (related wording)
Common questions
Which has more reported side effects, Ibuprofen or Meloxicam?
Ibuprofen has 269,923 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 (65% vs 58%) is a better like-for-like signal of the kind of problems reported.
Which side effects do Ibuprofen and Meloxicam share?
Both drugs carry disproportionality signals for duodenal ulcer perforation, sleep disorder due to general medical condition, insomnia type, peripheral venous disease, hand deformity, muscle injury. Shared signals often reflect a shared drug class or the condition both are used for.
Is Ibuprofen 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.