How long does Diclofenac stay in your system? (3 important factors)
By
Dr Natalia Marceli Stephanes (PhD)
Author bio
Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes PhD is a Pharmacist with expertise in Drugs Administration and Toxicity; Discovery of New Drugs; Cancer Treatment; Biochemical Analyzes and Hematological Analyzes. She writes and reviews content on these topics.
Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes’ Highlights:
- Pharmacist at the Department of Health of Santa Catarina State, Brazil
- PhD with a focus on oncology treatment
- Years of experience in commercial pharmacy
- Bachelor, Master and PhD degrees in Pharmacy at the Federal University of Santa Catarina
Professional Experience:
From her undergraduate studies to her Master’s and Doctorate degrees in Pharmacy, Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes has participated in numerous scientific studies in the field of oncology and onco-hematology at the University Hospital of the Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil. Her research has focused on understanding the molecular and biochemical bases of malignant neoplasms and investigating safer and more effective therapeutic alternatives.
Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes has also served as an assistant professor of haematology for undergraduate students at the Federal University of Santa Catarina. Additionally, she held the position of professor of Hospital Pharmacy at the Qualificar Technical School in Brazil, where she developed instructional materials for use in the Pharmacy Postgraduate Program at the Leonardo Da Vinci University Center.
In addition to her academic experiences, Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes possesses a strong expertise in commercial pharmacy, with in-depth knowledge of medications, their routes of administration, desired effects, adverse effects, and toxicity.
Currently, Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes works as a Pharmacist at the Health Department of Santa Catarina State, where her role entails providing pharmaceutical scientific consulting services to judges.
Education:
- 2016 Bachelor in Pharmacy at the Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil
- 2018 Master in Pharmacy at the Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil
- 2023 PhD in Pharmacy at the Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil
The main publications of Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes are:
Falchetti M ; Delgobo M, Zancanaro H, Almeida K, Das Neves RN, Dos Santos B, Stefanes NM, et al. Bishop Omics-based identification of an NRF2-related auranofin resistance signature in cancer: Insights into drug repurposing. Comput. Biol. Med [Internet]. 2023; 152:106347.
Feuser PM, Matos dos Santos PC, Cordeiro AP, Stefanes NM, Walter LO, Maioral MF, Santos-Silva MC, et al. Antineoplastic activity of free 4-nitrochalcone and encapsulated in poly(thioether-ester) nanoparticles obtained by thiol-ene polymerization in two human leukemia cell lines (Jurkat and K562). J Drug Deliv Sci Technol [Internet]. 2022; 67:102924.
Jacques AV, Stefanes NM, Walter LO, Perondi DM, Efe FL, Souza LFS, Sens L, et al. Synthesis of chalcones derived from 1-naphthylacetophenone and evaluation of their cytotoxic and apoptotic effects in acute leukemia cell lines. Bioorg. Chem [Internet]. 2021; 116:105315.
Duarte BF, Vieira DSC, Lisboa ML, Stefanes NM, Grando LJ, Santos-Silva MC. Características clínico-epidemiológicas de pacientes portadores de carcinoma de células escamosas de boca. Arquivos Catarinenses de Medicina. 2021; 50(2): 232–245.
Machado V, Jacques AV, Stefanes NM, Santos-Silva MC, Biavatti MW. Anti-leukemic activity of semisynthetic derivatives of Lupeol. Nat. Prod. Res. 2021; 35(22):4494-4501.
Bigolin A, Maioral MF, Stefanes NM, Mascarello A, Chiaradia-Delatorre LD, Nunes RJ, Yunes RA, et al. A novel sulfonamide derivative as a strong and selective apoptotic agent against hematological malignancies. Chem. Pap. 2020; 74:2965–2976.
Bigolin A, Maioral MF, Stefanes NM, Zatelli GA, Philippus AC, Falkenberg MB, Santos-Silva MC. Cytotoxic mechanisms of primin, a natural quinone isolated from Eugenia hiemalis, on hematological cancer cell lines. Anticancer Drugs. 2020; 31(7):709-717.
Maioral MF, Stefanes NM, Neufeldt PD, Chiaradia-Delatorre LD, Nunes RJ, Santos-Silva MC. Aldehyde biphenyl chalcones induce immunogenic apoptotic-like cell death and are promising new safe compounds against a wide range of hematologic cancers. Future Med. Chem. 2020; 12(8):673–688.
Perondi DM, Jacques AV, Stefanes NM, Maioral MF, Sens L, Pacheco LA, Cury NM, et al. A novel thiosemicarbazone as a promising effective and selective compound for acute leukemia. Anticancer Drugs. 2019; 30(8):p 828-837.
Rengifo AFC, Stefanes NM, Toigo J, Mendes C, Argenta DF, Dotto MER, Santos-Silva MC, et al. PEO-chitosan nanofibers containing carboxymethyl-hexanoyl chitosan/dodecyl sulfate nanoparticles loaded with pyrazoline for skin cancer treatment. Eur. Polym. J. 2019; 119:335-343.
Rengifo AFC, Stefanes NM, Toigo J, Mendes C, Santos-Silva MC, Nunes RJ, Parize AL, et al. A new and efficient carboxymethyl-hexanoyl chitosan/dodecyl sulfate nanocarrier for a pyrazoline with antileukemic activity. Mater. Sci. Eng. C [Internet]. 2019; 105:110051.
Maioral MF, Stefanes NM, Bigolin A, Zatelli GA, Philippus AC, Falkenberg MB, Santos-Silva MC. Miconidine acetate, a new selective and cytotoxic compound with synergic potential, induces cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in leukemia cells. Invest. New Drugs. 2019; 37:912–922.
Srefanes NM, Toigo J, Maioral MF, Jacques AV, Chiaradia-Delatorre LD, Perondi DM, Ribeiro AAB, et al. Synthesis of novel pyrazoline derivatives and the evaluation of death mechanisms involved in their antileukemic activity. Bioorg. Med. Chem. 2019; 27(2):375-382.
Maioral MF, Bodack CN, Stefanes NM, Bigolin A, Mascarello A, Chiaradia-Delatorre LD, Yunes RA, et al. Cytotoxic effect of a novel naphthylchalcone against multiple cancer cells focusing on hematologic malignancies. Biochim. 2017; 140:48-57.
You can view some of Dr Natália’s work below and links to her professional profile below.
Research Gate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Natalia-Stephanes
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nataliamarceli/
In this blog post, we are going to answer the question, “How long does Diclofenac stay in your system?”. Diclofenac is a Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) that can be used for the management and treatment of severe pain and inflammation.
This blog will cover how much time can the drug take to stay in your system. We will also discuss some factors that can affect this time duration.
How long does Diclofenac stay in your system?
Diclofenac stays in your system for about 15 to 20 hours. This is because the drug has a short half-life of 2 hours. When you take Diclofenac, it reaches its maximum peak concentration and within 2 hours, the concentration of the drug reduces to half.
The remaining amount of the drug is further reduced to half after the next 2 hours. This is how the drug is completely washed out from your body. Diclofenac is a Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug. It is used for the management and treatment of severe pain. In fact, it is one of the most common over-the-counter painkillers.
What factors can affect the stay time of Diclofenac in your system?
There are several factors that can affect the stay time of Diclofenac in your system. Some of them include:
- Gastric emptying time
- Age
- Pre-existing health conditions
Gastric emptying time
Gastric emptying time or rate can significantly affect the stay time of Diclofenac or any other drug in your system. This is because the time taken by your stomach to empty its contents can either hinder or accelerate the process of drug adsorption.
When your gastric emptying time is delayed, this means the drug stays in your stomach for a longer period of time. During this stage, the keep keeps getting dissolved in your stomach and starts to absorb slowly. This can make a higher amount of drugs to be absorbed in your blood.
It may or may not give you more prominent results. However, it will enhance the side effects of this medication.
Similarly, if your gastric emptying rate has increased for some reason, it will not give your drug enough time to be absorbed properly and the remains of the drug will be moved into the intestine from where it may not get dissolved at all because of the nature of its formulation and the difference in gastric and intestinal pH.
This may not give you the therapeutic response you might be hoping for. Make sure you talk to your healthcare provider if you have a chronic pain condition.
Taking Diclofenac once in a while as an OTC painkiller is alright, but if you’re taking it daily to manage your chronic inflammatory disease like arthritis, you need to talk to your healthcare provider regarding the appropriate dose and frequency.
Age
Age is another important factor that can affect how your body processes medications. This is because as you grow old, your physiological system grows old with you. You may not be able to process even the OTC meds the same you used to do when you were young.
Elderly people don’t usually have a very good cytochrome liver enzyme system which plays a huge role in the metabolism of the drug. Similarly, they may not have an accurate kidney function that is responsible for the elimination of the drug via urine.
This is exactly why most healthcare providers adjust the doses for elderly people and standard doses of meds with high side effect profiles are avoided.
If you’re a caretaker of such an elderly person, make sure you stick to only those meds that your doctor has recommended. Special care must be taken for this population as they are extremely sensitive to side effects.
Diclofenac may cause rare or uncommon side effects in elderly individuals, like unexplained weight gain, shortness of breath, etc.
Pre-existing health conditions
Pre-existing health conditions also play an important role when it comes to the stay of Diclofenac in your body or any other drug. This is because people with kidney or liver diseases may not be able to process the med in an effective way.
The liver is known as the detoxifying organ of our body. It basically converts all the harmful substances into harmless ones. When the liver doesn’t function well, it does not convert the drug into its inactive metabolites which are later removed by the kidneys via urine.
This makes the drug stay longer in your body in its active form and it may cause some unwanted side effects in yours.
This is why it is important to inform your healthcare provider about any underlying health condition that you may have. This can help your doctor determine the appropriate dose of Diclofenac for you. It is also important to always check for drug expiry before you take any medication.
What are the risks of taking Diclofenac?
Gastrointestinal side effects are the most common concern when you take too much Diclofenac or any other Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug.
These meds are quite heavy on the stomach and this is why they are not even prescribed to patients who have some gastrointestinal disease like peptic or duodenal ulcers. Not only can they damage your stomach, but they can actually cause GI bleeding.
This harmful effect of Diclofenac can be quite prominent just in the case of standard dose administration. This can make you realise how a higher dose would harm your gastrointestinal tract. This is probably because of the mechanism of action of these meds.
Diclofenac works by blocking both cyclooxygenase I and II pathways (COX I and COX II). These pathways lead to the synthesis of prostaglandins that can act as mediators for pain and inflammation.
When the pathway is blocked by Diclofenac, the synthesis of these prostaglandins is stopped. This can significantly help you get rid of pain and inflammation, but there’s a downside of this prostaglandin synthesis.
This is because some of these prostaglandins actually make the protective layer around the lining of your stomach. This lining protects your stomach from the corrosive action of gastric acid, which is known as one of the strongest acids in the entire world.
When the PGs synthesis is stopped, the protective mucosa of your stomach is disturbed leaving your stomach susceptible to the danger of gastric acid. This is why Diclofenac and other NSAIDs can cause stomach bleeding and other gastrointestinal complications.
The dark or tarry-coloured stool is the biggest symptom of gastrointestinal bleeding. Some people may also observe blood in their vomits. Make sure you seek immediate medical attention if any such thing happens.
A high dose of Diclofenac can also become extremely dangerous for cardiac patients. This is because these meds hold blood thinning properties to some extent. This effect of Diclofenac overdose can be dangerous for people who are at exposed risk to bleeding or people who have some kind of clotting factor disease like Haemophilia.
Diclofenac should not be used with other NSAIDs, antidepressants, antihypertensives, and anticoagulants. The additive effects caused by the concomitant use of these meds can become life-threatening for some people.
If you have accidentally taken a high dose of Diclofenac, hold on before you take your other prescription medications. Immediately consult your healthcare provider and make sure it’s safe for you to take your normal routine medications after taking such a high amount of Diclofenac. Some of the meds that don’t work well with Diclofenac include:
- Blood thinner or anticoagulants like warfarin, clopidogrel etc
- Other Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
- Antidepressants like Fluoxetine, Paroxetine, Sertraline, Escitalopram, Venlafaxine, Imipramine, Amitriptyline, etc.
- Steroidal medications
- Antipsychotics
- Antihypertensives
Conclusion
In this blog post, we discussed the period Diclofenac took to leave your system. Diclofenac stays in your system for about 15 to 20 hours. This is because the drug has a short half-life of 2 hours. When you take Diclofenac, it reaches its maximum peak concentration and within 2 hours, the concentration of the drug reduces to half.
The remaining amount of the drug is further reduced to half after the next 2 hours. This is how the drug is completely washed out from your body. Make sure you consult your healthcare provider regarding the appropriate dose of Diclofenac if you have a chronic inflammatory illness.
FAQs: how long does diclofenac stay in your system
Is diclofenac long-acting?
Diclofenac is a longer-acting Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug as compared to other members of this class. However, it has a shorter half-life of about 2 hours. When you take Diclofenac, it reaches its maximum peak concentration and within 2 hours, the concentration of the drug reduces to half. The remaining amount of the drug is further reduced to half after the next 2 hours. This is how the drug is completely washed out from your body.
How is diclofenac eliminated from the body?
According to the pharmacokinetic study of the med, Diclofenac gets eliminated from the body 60% via urine and 40% of the drug is eliminated through the cytochrome P450 liver enzyme system. Make sure you consult your healthcare provider regarding the appropriate dose of Diclofenac if you have a chronic inflammatory illness. Elderly people may also need dose adjustment as they may not be able to process the med normally.
How long does it take for diclofenac to start working?
The medication can start working in an hour or two if you’re taking it for occasional pain or inflammation like a muscle pull after strenuous exercise. However, if you’re taking it for a chronic illness, it may take a week or two to start providing noticeable relief in your condition. Make sure you consult your healthcare provider regarding the appropriate dose of Diclofenac if you have a chronic inflammatory illness.
What should you not take with Diclofenac?
- Blood thinner or anticoagulants like warfarin, clopidogrel etc
- Other Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
- Antidepressants like Fluoxetine, Paroxetine, Sertraline, Escitalopram, Venlafaxine, Imipramine, Amitriptyline, etc.
- Steroidal medications
- Antipsychotics
- Antihypertensives
Does Diclofenac cause gastrointestinal complications?
Yes, Diclofenac can cause gastrointestinal complications. NSAIDs are quite heavy on the stomach and this is why they are not even prescribed to patients who have some gastrointestinal disease like peptic or duodenal ulcers. Not only can they damage your stomach, but they can actually cause GI bleeding. This harmful effect of Diclofenac can be quite prominent just in the case of standard dose administration. This can make you realise how a higher dose would harm your gastrointestinal tract.
What are the common side effects of Diclofenac?
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhoea
- Flatulence
- Constipation
- Acid reflux
- Heartburn
- Dizziness or lightheadedness
- Drowsiness
- Insomnia or inability to fall asleep
- Tingling or pins-and-needles sensation in arms and legs
- Difficulty in hearing
- Tinnitus
- Symptoms associated
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References
1.-
NHS – Diclofenac https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/diclofenac/#:~:text=When%20you%20stop%20taking%20diclofenac,after%201%20or%202%20days.
2.-
Tong J Gan. Curr Med Res Opin. (2010) – Diclofenac: an update on its mechanism of action and safety profile https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20470236/
3.-
National Library of Medicine – Diclofenac https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a689002.html
