Meloxicam-Induced Pancreatitis

There are 525 drugs that have been identified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as having the potential to cause pancreatitis. The most well-known drugs include mesalamine, azathioprine, and simvastatin, all of which have been well described in the literature. However, drug-induced pancreatitis only used to account for about 1%-2% of cases in the 1990s; this number has increased to up to 5% in some studies. By accounting for over 100,000 cases per year in the United States alone, it is important to be able to recognize these cases and act rapidly and appropriately to remove the offending agent. The vast majority of cases occur within six weeks of initiating or increasing the dosage of such medications. Here we present an interesting case of meloxicam-induced pancreatitis.