Diclofenac Sodium 75 mg Tablet, Delayed Release, 500-count

Glossary — plain-language definitions of medical terms used in this label:

contraindicated: Should not be used in that situation, because the risk is considered too high.

exacerbation: A flare-up or worsening of a condition.

in vitro: In a laboratory dish or test tube rather than in a living person or animal; results may not carry over to people.

in vivo: In a living person or animal rather than in a laboratory dish.

abdominal pain: Pain, cramping, or discomfort felt anywhere in the belly area.

Absorption: How a medicine moves from where it is taken, such as the stomach or gut, into the bloodstream.

adverse event: Any unwanted medical problem that happens during treatment, whether or not the medicine actually caused it.

adverse reaction: An unwanted or harmful effect that a medicine causes in the body.

Adverse Reactions: Unwanted or harmful effects that people experienced while taking a medicine, listed on its official label.

agranulocytosis: A severe drop in a certain type of infection-fighting white blood cell, greatly raising the risk of serious infections.

alopecia: Loss of hair from the scalp or body.

anemia: A low level of red blood cells or the oxygen-carrying protein inside them, which can cause tiredness, weakness, and paleness.

angioedema: Rapid swelling deep under the skin, often around the eyes, lips, tongue, or throat.

anxiety: A feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease, sometimes along with a racing heart or restlessness.

aplastic anemia: A serious condition where the bone marrow stops making enough new blood cells.

arrhythmia: A heartbeat that is too fast, too slow, or irregular instead of steady.

asthenia: Unusual weakness or lack of physical strength and energy.

baseline: A person's starting condition, measured before treatment begins, used to see how much they change later on.

Bioavailability: The share of a dose that actually reaches the bloodstream and is able to have an effect.

clearance: How quickly the body removes a medicine from the blood, usually through the liver and kidneys.

Clinical Pharmacology: The label section explaining how a medicine works in the body and how the body processes it.

colitis: Swelling and irritation of the inner lining of the large intestine, or colon.

conjunctivitis: Redness and irritation of the thin lining over the white of the eye, often called pink eye.

constipation: Having bowel movements less often than usual, or passing stools that are hard, dry, and difficult to move.

Contraindications: A list of situations or health conditions in which a medicine should not be used because the chance of harm is too high.

CYP2C9: A liver enzyme that breaks down certain medicines, including some blood thinners and anti-inflammatory drugs.

CYP3A4: One of the most important liver and gut enzymes, responsible for breaking down a large share of all medicines.

delayed-release: A pill coated so it does not release its medicine until after it has passed through the stomach.

depression: A lasting low mood with loss of interest that affects everyday life.

dermatitis: Inflammation of the skin, causing redness, itching, and sometimes swelling or blisters.

diarrhea: Loose, watery bowel movements that happen more often than normal.

Distribution: How a medicine spreads from the blood into the body's tissues and organs after it is absorbed.

Dosage and Administration: The label section explaining how much of a medicine to use and how to take or give it.

dyspepsia: Discomfort, fullness, or a burning feeling in the upper belly, commonly called indigestion.

dyspnea: The medical word for shortness of breath, or the feeling that you cannot get enough air.

dysuria: Pain, burning, or discomfort when passing urine.

ecchymosis: A bruise; a flat blue or purple mark on the skin where blood has leaked underneath.

edema: Swelling caused by extra fluid trapped in the body's tissues.

Elimination: The overall removal of a medicine from the body by breaking it down and passing it out.

emesis: The medical word for vomiting, or bringing up the contents of the stomach through the mouth.

enteric-coated: A special coating that keeps a pill from dissolving in the stomach, so it opens up further along in the intestine.

eosinophilia: A higher-than-normal level of eosinophils, a type of white blood cell often linked to allergies or drug reactions.

eructation: The medical word for burping, or releasing gas from the stomach up through the mouth.

erythema: Redness of the skin caused by increased blood flow, often from irritation or inflammation.

erythema multiforme: A skin reaction with red, target-shaped spots, usually on the hands, arms, or face.

esophagitis: Swelling and irritation of the lining of the food pipe, or esophagus.

Excretion: How the body removes a medicine or its leftover pieces, mainly through the urine or stool.

exfoliative dermatitis: Widespread redness with heavy scaling or peeling of the skin over most of the body.

extended-release: A pill or capsule made to release its medicine slowly over many hours, so it can be taken less often; often labeled ER or XR.

first-pass metabolism: The breakdown of a swallowed medicine by the liver before it reaches the rest of the body.

flatulence: Passing gas from the bowel; feeling bloated or gassy.

gastritis: Swelling or irritation of the lining of the stomach.

gastrointestinal bleeding: Bleeding anywhere along the digestive tract, from the food pipe down to the bowel.

glucuronidation: The process where enzymes attach a sugar-like molecule to a drug so it dissolves in water and leaves the body.

Half-life: The time it takes for the amount of medicine in the blood to drop by half.

heart failure: A condition in which the heart cannot pump blood as well as it should, causing tiredness, breathlessness, and swelling.

hematemesis: Vomiting blood, which may look bright red or like dark coffee grounds.

hematuria: Blood in the urine.

hemodialysis: A treatment that uses a machine to filter waste and extra fluid from the blood when the kidneys cannot.

hemolytic anemia: A shortage of red blood cells caused by them breaking apart faster than the body can replace them.

hepatitis: Inflammation of the liver, which can be caused by infections, alcohol, or certain medicines.

hepatotoxicity: Damage to the liver caused by a medicine or other substance.

hyperglycemia: High blood sugar, meaning there is more glucose (sugar) in the blood than normal.

hyperkalemia: A higher-than-normal level of potassium, an important mineral, in the blood.

hypersensitivity: An overreaction of the body's defense system to a substance, causing symptoms such as rash, swelling, or trouble breathing.

hypertension: Blood pressure that stays higher than normal, commonly called high blood pressure.

hypotension: Blood pressure that is lower than normal, which can cause dizziness or fainting.

immediate-release: A standard pill or capsule that releases all of its medicine soon after it is swallowed.

incidence: How often a new event, such as a side effect, happens in a group of people over a set period of time.

Indications and Usage: The label section stating which medical conditions the FDA has officially approved the medicine to treat, prevent, or manage.

inhibitor: A substance that blocks an enzyme or transporter, which can raise the levels of drugs it normally handles.

insomnia: Trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or getting restful sleep.

interstitial nephritis: Inflammation of the tissue between the kidney's tiny filtering tubes, sometimes triggered by a medicine, that can reduce kidney function.

intravenous: Given directly into a vein through a needle or thin tube; often written as IV.

ischemia: Reduced blood flow to a part of the body, so that area does not get enough oxygen.

jaundice: Yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes caused by too much bilirubin in the blood.

lethargy: A state of tiredness and sluggishness, often with slowed thinking or movement.

leukopenia: A low level of white blood cells, the cells that help the body fight off infections.

lymphadenopathy: Swollen or enlarged lymph nodes, often felt as lumps in the neck, armpits, or groin.

malaise: A general feeling of being unwell, uneasy, or low on energy, without one clear symptom.

Mechanism of Action: How a medicine produces its effect in the body, described at the level of cells or body chemistry.

Medication Guide: An FDA-approved handout written for patients that explains important safety information about certain medicines in plain language.

melena: Black, sticky, tar-like stools caused by blood that has been digested higher up in the gut.

Metabolism: How the body chemically changes a medicine, usually in the liver, into other substances.

metabolite: A new substance formed when the body breaks a medicine down.

myocardial infarction: The medical term for a heart attack, when blood flow to part of the heart muscle is blocked.

NDC: A unique number that identifies a specific medicine, its maker, strength, and package size.

oliguria: Producing much less urine than normal, which is often a sign the kidneys are under stress.

Overdosage: The label section describing what can happen if too much of a medicine is taken and how it may be treated.

palpitations: The feeling that your heart is racing, pounding, fluttering, or skipping beats.

pancreatitis: Painful swelling of the pancreas, an organ behind the stomach that helps digest food and control blood sugar.

pancytopenia: A low level of all three main blood cell types at once: red cells, white cells, and platelets.

paresthesia: A tingling, prickling, or "pins and needles" feeling in the skin, often in the hands or feet.

perforation: A hole that forms all the way through the wall of the stomach or intestine.

Pharmacokinetics: The study of how the body takes in a medicine, spreads it around, breaks it down, and removes it over time.

photosensitivity: An unusually strong skin reaction, such as burning or rash, after being in sunlight or other ultraviolet light.

potentiate: To make the effect of one medicine stronger by taking another substance along with it.

protein binding: How much of a medicine sticks to proteins in the blood instead of moving freely through the body.

proteinuria: Protein leaking into the urine, which can be a sign that the kidneys' filters are damaged.

pruritus: Itching of the skin.

purpura: Purple spots or patches on the skin caused by bleeding just under the surface.

relative risk: A number comparing the chance of an event in one group with the chance of that same event in another group.

respiratory depression: Breathing that becomes too slow or too shallow to move enough air, so the body may not get enough oxygen.

sepsis: A serious, body-wide reaction to an infection in which the body's own response can start to injure its tissues and organs.

somnolence: Feeling very sleepy or drowsy, with trouble staying awake during the day.

Stevens-Johnson syndrome: A rare, serious reaction causing painful blistering and peeling of the skin and the moist linings of the mouth, eyes, and other areas.

stomatitis: Soreness, swelling, or sores on the lining inside the mouth.

syncope: The medical term for fainting, a brief loss of consciousness from a temporary drop in blood flow to the brain.

tachycardia: A faster-than-normal heart rate, usually over 100 beats per minute.

terminal half-life: The time it takes blood levels to fall by half during the final, slowest stage of removal.

thrombocytopenia: A low level of platelets, the blood cells that help form clots, which can lead to easier bruising or bleeding.

tinnitus: Ringing, buzzing, or other noise in the ears that is not coming from an outside sound.

toxic epidermal necrolysis: A rare, life-threatening reaction in which large areas of the top layer of skin blister and peel away, like a severe burn.

ulceration: The forming of an open sore on the skin or on a lining inside the body, such as the stomach.

urticaria: Raised, itchy welts on the skin, commonly called hives.

vertigo: A spinning sensation that makes you feel like you or the room around you is moving.

volume of distribution: A calculated value showing how widely a medicine spreads into body tissues versus staying in the blood.