Carefully consider the potential benefits and risks of diflunisal tablets and other treatment options before deciding to use diflunisal tablets.

Use the lowest effective dose for the shortest duration consistent with individual patient treatment goals (see WARNINGS).Diflunisal tablets are indicated for acute or long-term use for symptomatic treatment of the following:Mild to moderate painOsteoarthritisRheumatoid arthritis

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Arthritis -- inflammation of the joints; tends to be chronic.

Diflunisal tablets are contraindicated in patients with known hypersensitivity to diflunisal or the excipients (see DESCRIPTION).Diflunisal tablets should not be given to patients who have experienced asthma, urticaria, or allergic-type reactions after taking aspirin or other NSAIDs.

Severe, rarely fatal, anaphylactic/analphylactoid reactions to NSAIDs have been reported in such patients (see WARNINGS, Anaphylactic/Anaphylactoid Reactions and PRECAUTIONS, Preexisting Asthma).Diflunisal tablets are contraindicated for the treatment of peri-operative pain in the setting of coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery (see WARNINGS).

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Hypersensitivity -- Altered reactivity to an antigen, which can result in pathologic reactions upon subsequent exposure to that particular antigen.

Asthma -- A form of bronchial disorder with three distinct components: airway hyper-responsiveness (RESPIRATORY HYPERSENSITIVITY), airway INFLAMMATION, and intermittent AIRWAY OBSTRUCTION. It is characterized by spasmodic contraction of airway smooth muscle, WHEEZING, and dyspnea (DYSPNEA, PAROXYSMAL).

Urticaria -- A vascular reaction of the skin characterized by erythema and wheal formation due to localized increase of vascular permeability. The causative mechanism may be allergy, infection, or stress.

Allergic Reaction --

Pain -- An unpleasant sensation induced by noxious stimuli which are detected by NERVE ENDINGS of NOCICEPTIVE NEURONS.

Clinical trials of several COX-2 selective and nonselective NSAIDs of up to three years duration have shown an increased risk of serious cardiovascular (CV) thrombotic events, myocardial infarction, and stroke, which can be fatal.

All NSAIDs, both COX-2 selective and nonselective, may have a similar risk.

Patients with known CV disease or risk factors for CV disease may be at greater risk.

To minimize the potential risk for an adverse CV event in patients treated with an NSAID, the lowest effective dose should be used for the shortest duration possible.

Physicians and patients should remain alert for the development of such events, even in the absence of previous CV symptoms.

Patients should be informed about the signs and/or symptoms of serious CV events and the steps to take if they occur.There is no consistent evidence that concurrent use of aspirin mitigates the increased risk of serious CV thrombotic events associated with NSAID use.

The concurrent use of aspirin and an NSAID does increase the risk of serious GI events (see GI WARNINGS).Two large, controlled clinical trials of a COX-2 selective NSAID for the treatment of pain in the first 10 to 14 days following CABG surgery found an increased incidence of myocardial infarction and stroke (see CONTRAINDICATIONS).

The following US Branded drugs contain Diflunisal

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DOLOBID -- MERCK AND CO INC