Yes, Toradol (ketorolac) is available in an oral formulation.
Oral ketorolac tablets are FDA-approved and available, but they are specifically indicated only as continuation therapy following initial IV or IM administration—not as initial standalone treatment. 1
Key Prescribing Requirements
The FDA labeling is explicit about oral ketorolac use 1:
- Oral formulation should NOT be given as an initial dose
- Oral tablets are only for transitioning from parenteral (IV/IM) ketorolac
- Combined duration of IV/IM plus oral use must not exceed 5 days total in adults
Dosing for Oral Continuation Therapy
When transitioning from IV/IM to oral ketorolac 1:
For patients age 17-64 years:
- 20 mg PO once, then 10 mg every 4-6 hours as needed
- Maximum 40 mg/day
For patients ≥65 years, renally impaired, or weight <50 kg:
- 10 mg PO once, then 10 mg every 4-6 hours as needed
- Maximum 40 mg/day
Clinical Context
Recent guidelines list ketorolac among NSAIDs used for pain management, noting it "interacts with inflammation pathways to directly treat many pain symptoms" but requires dose adjustments with renal dysfunction and carries increased bleeding risk with peptic ulcer disease 2. The guideline emphasizes that ketorolac "rarely can be used without adjunct drugs" 2.
Important Caveats
The oral-only restriction is critical: While research demonstrates oral ketorolac's efficacy for various pain conditions 3, 4, 5, the FDA-approved indication specifically limits oral use to continuation therapy only. This regulatory restriction exists despite evidence showing oral ketorolac provides effective analgesia comparable to other routes 1, 6.
The 5-day maximum duration applies to the combined parenteral and oral use, not separately—this is a common prescribing error to avoid 1.