NSAID (rapid-onset salt)
Diclofenac potassium
Brand names: Voltarol Rapid, Voltfast
Adult dose
Dose: 50mg TDS PO; sachet 50mg PRN
Route: Oral
Frequency: BD–TDS
Clinical pearls
- MHRA Drug Safety Update: contraindicated in established CV disease (same as diclofenac sodium)
- Faster onset than sodium salt — useful for acute migraine, dysmenorrhoea, postoperative pain (NICE NG100 / NG88 HMB)
Contraindications
- Established CV disease (MHRA contraindication)
- Active GI bleeding
- Severe renal/hepatic impairment
- Last trimester pregnancy
- Aspirin/NSAID hypersensitivity
Side effects
- GI bleeding
- CV events
- Renal impairment
- Hypertension
- Bronchospasm
- Hypersensitivity
Interactions
- Anticoagulants
- ACEi/ARB + diuretic
- Lithium
- Methotrexate
Monitoring
- BP
- Renal function
- GI symptoms
- CV review
Reference: BNF; NICE NG100; NICE NG88; MHRA Drug Safety Update; https://bnf.nice.org.uk/drugs/diclofenac-potassium/. Verify against your local formulary and the latest BNF before prescribing.
Related
Curated clinical cross-links plus same-class fallbacks.
Calculators
- RSBI (Rapid Shallow Breathing Index) — Weaning Readiness · Ventilator Weaning
- CART Score for Cardiac Arrest Risk Triage · Resuscitation
- CHARGE-AF Score for Incident Atrial Fibrillation · Atrial Fibrillation
- Rapid Emergency Medicine Score (REMS) · Severity Scoring
- 4AT — Rapid Assessment for Delirium · Diagnosis
- Hyperkalaemia Management Algorithm · Electrolyte Disorders
Pathways
- Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus · BAD; EULAR
- Osteoporosis / Fragility Fracture · NOGG 2021; NICE NG147; NG224
- Arteritic AION (Giant Cell Arteritis) · RCOphth; BSR
- Osteoarthritis Hip / Knee Management · NICE NG226 (2022)
- Lupus Nephritis · EULAR/ERA-EDTA 2019; KDIGO 2024
- Rheumatoid Arthritis Management · NICE CG79 2018 / EULAR 2022