From the Research
Meloxicam has a duration of effect of approximately 24 hours, allowing for once-daily dosing, as evidenced by its relatively long half-life of around 15-20 hours, which enables it to maintain therapeutic blood levels throughout a 24-hour period after a single dose 1. The standard dosage for adults is usually 7.5 mg to 15 mg once daily, with the lower dose often recommended initially. Some key points to consider when prescribing meloxicam include:
- Meloxicam works by inhibiting cyclooxygenase (COX) enzymes, particularly COX-2, which reduces the production of prostaglandins responsible for inflammation, pain, and fever.
- The medication reaches peak plasma concentrations within 4-5 hours after oral administration, but its full anti-inflammatory effects may take several days to develop completely.
- Patients should take meloxicam with food to minimize gastrointestinal side effects, and should be aware that while pain relief may begin within hours, the full anti-inflammatory benefits may require consistent use for 1-2 weeks.
- As with all NSAIDs, meloxicam should be used at the lowest effective dose for the shortest duration necessary to minimize potential side effects, as supported by studies such as 2 and 3. It's also important to note that the efficacy of meloxicam has been demonstrated in various studies, including a long-term study that showed its effectiveness in treating rheumatoid arthritis 3, and a study that compared its efficacy to other NSAIDs in treating acute gouty arthritis 4. However, the most recent and highest quality study 2 provides the most relevant information on the duration of effect of meloxicam.