Salsalate

Conditions Treated

Salsalate is used to relieve pain, tenderness, swelling, and stiffness caused by rheumatoid arthritis (arthritis caused by swelling of the lining of the joints), osteoarthritis (arthritis caused by a breakdown of the lining of the joints), and other conditions that cause swelling. Salsalate is in a class of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs) called salicylates. It works by stopping the body's production of a substance that causes pain, fever, and swelling.

Possible Side Effects

What Side Effects Can This Cause?

Salsalate may cause side effects. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away:

• diarrhea
• dizziness

Some side effects can be serious. If you experience any of the following symptoms, or those listed in the IMPORTANT WARNING section, call your doctor immediately:

• ringing in the ears
• loss of hearing
• difficulty breathing or swallowing
• shortness of breath
• hoarseness
• fast heartbeat
• unexplained weight gain
• swelling of the eyes, face, tongue, lips, throat, arms, hands, feet, ankles, or lower legs
• rash
• hives
• blisters
• itching
• unusual bleeding or bruising
• pale or cold skin
• fever
• nausea
• headache
• extreme tiredness
• weakness
• lack of energy
• loss of appetite
• pain in the upper right part of the stomach
• yellowing of the skin or eyes
• flu-like symptoms
• cloudy, discolored, or bloody urine
• back pain
• difficult or painful urination

Salsalate may cause other side effects. Call your doctor if you have any unusual problems while taking this medication.If you experience a serious side effect, you or your doctor may send a report to the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program online [at http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch] or by phone [1-800-332-1088].

Usage Instructions

How Should This Medication Be Used

Salsalate comes as a tablet to take by mouth. It is usually taken two to three times a day. Salsalate may be taken with food or milk to prevent stomach upset. Take salsalate at around the same times every day. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand. Take salsalate exactly as directed. Do not take more or less of it or take it more often than prescribed by your doctor. It may take three to four days until you feel the full benefit of the medication. If your symptoms do not improve or get worse, call your doctor.

What Dietary Instructions Should I Follow

Unless your doctor tells you otherwise, continue your normal diet.

Are There Any Special Instructions

Before taking salsalate, tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to salsalate, aspirin or other NSAIDs such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) and naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn), any other medications, or any of the ingredients in salsalate tablets. Ask your pharmacist for a list of the ingredients. tell your doctor and pharmacist what other prescription and nonprescription medications, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products you are taking or plan to take. Be sure to mention the medications listed in the IMPORTANT WARNING section and any of the following: acetazolamide (Diamox); angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors such as benazepril (Lotensin), captopril (Capoten), enalapril (Vasotec), fosinopril (Monopril), lisinopril (Prinivil, Zestril), moexipril (Univasc), perindopril, (Aceon), quinapril (Accupril), ramipril (Altace), and trandolapril (Mavik); antacids; diuretics (''water pills'') such as furosemide (Lasix); lithium (Eskalith, Lithobid);medications for gout such as probenecid (Probalan) and sulfinpyrazone (Anturane); methazolamide; certain oral medications for diabetes such as chlorpropamide (Diabinese), glimepiride (Amaryl, in Avandaryl), glipizide (Glucotrol, in Metaglip),glyburide (Diabeta, Glynase, Micronase), tolazamide (Tolinase), and tolbutamide;certain medications for seizures such as phenytoin (Dilantin, Phenytek) and valproic acid (Depakene, Depakote); methotrexate (Trexall); penicillin (Veetids); salicylates such as bismuth subsalicylate (Kaopectate, Pepto-Bismol), choline magnesium trisalicylatecholine salicylate (Arthropan), diflunisal (Dolobid), and magnesium salicylate (Doan's, others); and thyroid medications. Your doctor may need to change the doses of your medications or monitor you carefully for side effects. tell your doctor if you have or have ever had any of the conditions in the IMPORTANT WARNING section or asthma, especially if you also have frequent stuffed or runny nose or nasal polyps (swelling of the lining of the nose); gout; kidney or liver disease; or swelling of the hands, feet, ankles or lower legs. you should know that salsalate should not be taken by children and teenagers who have chicken pox, flu, flu symptoms, or who have received the varicella virus (chicken pox) vaccine in the past six weeks because of the risk of Reye's Syndrome (a serious condition in which fat builds up on the brain, liver, and other body organs). if you are having surgery, including dental surgery, tell the doctor or dentist that you are taking salsalate.