Arthrotec vs. Vimovo

• Are Arthrotec and Vimovo the Same Thing?
• What Are Possible Side Effects of Arthrotec?
• What Are Possible Side Effects of Vimovo?
• What Is Arthrotec?
• What Is Vimovo?
• What Drugs Interact with Arthrotec?
• What Drugs Interact with Vimovo?
• How Should Arthrotec Be Taken?
• How Should Vimovo Be Taken?

Arthrotec (diclofenac sodium/misoprostol) and Vimovo (naproxen and esomeprazole magnesium) are combination medications used to treat osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis in people at high risk for developing stomach or intestinal ulcers.

Vimovo is also used to treat ankylosing spondylitis.

Arthrotec and Vimovo both contain nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Arthrotec also contains a prostaglandin and Vimovo also contains a proton pump inhibitor (PPI).

Side effects of Arthrotec and Vimovo that are similar include diarrhea, upset stomach or stomach pain, nausea, gas, dizziness, or drowsiness.

Side effects of Arthrotec that are different from Vimovo include bloating, headache, blurred vision, ringing in your ears, or unusual vaginal bleeding.

Side effects of Vimovo that are different from Arthrotec include heartburn or constipation.

Both Arthrotec and Vimovo may interact with blood thinners, digoxin, lithium, steroids, or aspirin or other NSAIDs.

Common side effects of Arthrotec include:

• nausea,
• bloating,
• gas,
• dizziness,
• drowsiness,
• headache,
• blurred vision,
• ringing in your ears, or
• unusual vaginal bleeding.

Tell your doctor if you have serious side effects of Arthrotec including:

• difficult or painful swallowing,
• swelling of the hands or feet,
• sudden or unexplained weight gain,
• vision changes,
• mental/mood changes (e.g., depression),
• fast or pounding heartbeat,
• persistent or severe headache,
• fainting,
• menstrual problems/irregular periods,
• unusual tiredness,
• easy bruising or bleeding,
• signs of infection (e.g., fever, persistent sore throat),
• changes in the amount of urine, or
• unexplained stiff neck.

Common side effects of Vimovo include:

• upset stomach,
• stomach pain,
• heartburn,
• nausea,
• gas,
• diarrhea,
• constipation,
• drowsiness, or
• dizziness.

Tell your doctor if you have serious side effects of Vimovo including:

• easy bruising or bleeding,
• lightheadedness,
• fainting,
• signs of a lung infection (such as fever, cough, trouble breathing),
• difficult or painful swallowing,
• swelling of the hands or feet,
• sudden or unexplained weight gain,
• symptoms of a low magnesium blood level (such as unusually fast/slow/irregular heartbeat, or persistent muscle spasms, seizures).

Arthrotec (diclofenac sodium/misoprostol) is a combination non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) and a prostaglandin that protects the stomach from irritating effects of NSAIDs used to treat osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis in people at high risk for developing stomach or intestinal ulcers. Arthrotec is available in generic form. Common side effects of Arthrotec include diarrhea and upset stomach or stomach pain within a few weeks after you start taking this medication, and usually last for about 1 week.

Vimovo (naproxen and esomeprazole magnesium) is a combination of a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) and a proton pump inhibitor (PPI) used to treat signs and symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, and ankylosing spondylitis when there is a high risk for stomach bleeding/ulcer.

Arthrotec may interact with blood thinners, cyclosporine, digoxin, diuretics (water pills), insulin or oral diabetes medicine, lithium, methotrexate, phenobarbital, steroids, aspirin or other NSAIDs, or ACE inhibitors. Tell your doctor all medications you use. Arthrotec must not be used during pregnancy. It can harm the fetus and mother. Use birth control while taking this medication. This medication passes into breast milk. However, this drug is unlikely to harm a nursing infant. Consult your doctor before breastfeeding.

Vimovo may interact with amphetamines, oral bisphosphonates, blood thinners, anti-platelet drugs, SSRI/SNRI antidepressants, clopidogrel, corticosteroids, HIV drugs, lithium, probenecid, digoxin, azole antifungals, iron supplements, other products containing naproxen, other proton pump inhibitors. Check medicine labels as many contain pain relievers/fever reducers similar to Vimovo and may increase the risk of side effects if taken together. Tell your doctor all medications and supplements you are taking.

For the relief of rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis, the recommended dose of Arthrotec is 50 mg diclofenac sodium/200 mcg misoprostol or 75 mg diclofenac sodium/200 mcg misoprostol.

The dosage of Vimovo is one tablet twice daily, 375 mg naproxen/20 mg esomeprazole or 500 mg naproxen/20 mg esomeprazole.