Ketorolac is used for the short-term relief of moderately severe pain and should not be used for longer than 5 days, for mild pain, or for pain from chronic (long-term) conditions. You will receive your first doses of ketorolac by intravenous (into a vein) or intramuscular (into a muscle) injection in a hospital or medical office. After that, your doctor may choose to continue your treatment with oral ketorolac. You must stop taking oral ketorolac on the fifth day after you received your first ketorolac injection. Talk to your doctor if you still have pain after 5 days or if your pain is not controlled with this medication. Ketorolac may cause serious side effects, especially when taken improperly. Take ketorolac exactly as directed. Do not take more of it or take it more often than prescribed by your doctor.
People who take nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) (other than aspirin) such as ketorolac may have a higher risk of having a heart attack or a stroke than people who do not take these medications. These events may happen without warning and may cause death. This risk may be higher for people who take NSAIDs for a long time. Do not take an NSAID such as ketorolac if you have recently had a heart attack, unless directed to do so by your doctor. Tell your doctor if you or anyone in your family has or has ever had heart disease, a heart attack, or a stroke or ‘ministroke;’ if you smoke; and if you have or have ever had high cholesterol, high blood pressure, bleeding or clotting problems, or diabetes. Get emergency medical help right away if you experience any of the following symptoms: chest pain, shortness of breath, weakness in one part or side of the body, or slurred speech.
If you are having surgery, including dental surgery, tell the doctor or dentist that you are taking ketorolac. If you will be undergoing a coronary artery bypass graft (CABG; a type of heart surgery), you should not take ketorolac right before or right after the surgery.
NSAIDs such as ketorolac may cause ulcers, bleeding, or holes in the stomach or intestine. These problems may develop at any time during treatment, may happen without warning symptoms, and may cause death. The risk may be higher for people who take NSAIDs for a long time, are older in age, have poor health, or drink large amounts of alcohol while taking ketorolac. Tell your doctor if you take any of the following medications: anticoagulants (‘blood thinners’) such as warfarin (Coumadin, Jantoven); aspirin; oral steroids such as dexamethasone, methylprednisolone (Medrol), and prednisone (Rayos); selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) such as citalopram (Celexa), fluoxetine (Prozac, Sarafem, Selfemra, in Symbyax), fluvoxamine (Luvox), paroxetine (Brisdelle, Paxil, Pexeva), and sertraline (Zoloft); or serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) such as desvenlafaxine (Khedezla, Pristiq), duloxetine (Cymbalta), and venlafaxine (Effexor XR). Do not take aspirin or other NSAIDs such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) and naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn) while you are taking ketorolac. Also tell your doctor if you have or have ever had ulcers or bleeding in your stomach or intestines. If you experience any of the following symptoms, stop taking ketorolac and call your doctor: stomach pain, heartburn, vomit that is bloody or looks like coffee grounds, blood in the stool, or black and tarry stools.
Source: https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a693001.html
