It is primarily available as the sodium salt. Diclofenac works by reducing hormones that cause inflammation and pain in the body. Diclofenac is used to treat pain or inflammation caused by arthritis or ankylosing spondylitis. The side effects of these drugs can cause discomfort and rarely, more serious side effects, such as gastrointestinal bleeding, and more rarely, liver toxicity which may result in hospitalization and even fatal outcomes.

Concomitant treatment with potassiumsparing diuretics may be associated with increased serum potassium levels. Phenobarbital toxicity has been reported to have occurred in a patient on chronic phenobarbital treatment following the initiation of diclofenac therapy. Benzylpenicillin, ampicillin, oxacillin, chlortetracycline, doxycycline, cephalothin, erythromycin, and sulfamethoxazole have no influence in vitro on the protein binding of diclofenac in human serum. Statistically significant changes in prothrombin and partial thromboplastin times have been reported in normal volunteers.

What is voltaren ophtha effects may be due to action on the hypothalamus, resulting in peripheral dilation, increased cutaneous blood flow, and subsequent heat dissipation.

The mean changes were observed to be less than 1 second in both instances, however, and are unlikely to be clinically important. Diclofenac is a prostaglandin synthetase inhibitor, however, and all drugs that inhibit prostaglandin synthesis interfere with platelet function to some degree; therefore, patients who may be adversely affected by such an action should be carefully observed. Severe, rarely fatal, anaphylacticlike reactions to diclofenac have been reported in such patients. As prostaglandins sensitize pain receptors, inhibition of their synthesis is responsible for the analgesic effects of ketoprofen.

Physicians may w. Ingestion of diclofenac may increase serum what is voltaren ophtha of digoxin and methotrexate and increase cyclosporines nephrotoxicity. They should be observed closely, particularly if renal function is impaired. In the case of digoxin, serum levels should be monitored.

In patients taking diclofenac and lithium concomitantly, lithium toxicity may develop. There are rare reports, however, from marketing experiences, of changes in effects of insulin or oral hypoglycemic agents in the presence of diclofenac that necessitated changes in the doses of such agents. Both hypoand hyperglycemic effects have been reported. A direct causal relationship has not been established, but physicians should consider the possibility that diclofenac may alter a diabetic patients response to insulin or oral hypoglycemic agents.