Coricib contains etoricoxib 90 mg, a COX-2 selective anti-inflammatory taken once daily. It treats osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis and acute gout attacks. Blood pressure must be checked before starting, because etoricoxib raises it more than most anti-inflammatories.
What is Coricib?
Coricib contains etoricoxib 90 mg, a selective COX-2 inhibitor — a coxib. It is a Schedule 3 medicine, and the same ingredient is dispensed as Azcura, Exinef and Arcoxia.
Cyclo-oxygenase exists in two forms. COX-1 maintains the stomach lining, supports kidney blood flow and helps platelets clot. COX-2 is produced mainly where there is inflammation. Traditional anti-inflammatories block both, which is why they relieve inflammation and irritate the stomach through the same action.
Etoricoxib is highly selective for COX-2, leaving COX-1 largely intact. In practice that means substantially fewer stomach ulcers and less gastrointestinal bleeding than with a conventional NSAID — a genuine advantage for someone who needs an anti-inflammatory but has a stomach history.
Two things balance that.
Blood pressure. Etoricoxib raises blood pressure more than the other coxibs and more than most conventional NSAIDs. It is not used where hypertension is uncontrolled, and blood pressure is monitored during treatment.
Cardiovascular risk. Sparing COX-1 in platelets while suppressing COX-2 shifts the balance somewhat toward clotting, which is a consideration across the whole coxib class.
A once-daily tablet suits a chronic condition, and 60 mg, 90 mg and 120 mg strengths allow the amount to be matched to the problem.
What is Coricib commonly used for?
- Osteoarthritis, for pain and stiffness.
- Rheumatoid arthritis, alongside disease-modifying treatment.
- Ankylosing spondylitis, inflammatory arthritis of the spine.
- Acute gout attacks, where it is an effective alternative to indometacin or colchicine.
- Acute musculoskeletal pain, short-term.
- Pain after dental surgery.
For gout, be clear about what it does. Etoricoxib settles the flare — the inflammatory response to urate crystals — and works well for it. It does nothing to prevent the next attack. Preventing attacks means lowering uric acid with a daily medicine such as the allopurinol in Puricos. Treating flare after flare without addressing uric acid is the commonest pattern in poorly controlled gout.
In arthritis, it relieves symptoms rather than altering the disease. It does not repair cartilage in osteoarthritis, and in rheumatoid arthritis the medicines that prevent joint damage are disease-modifying agents such as methotrexate. Someone comfortable on etoricoxib alone with rheumatoid arthritis is not adequately treated.
Exercise, weight management and physiotherapy have real evidence in osteoarthritis and reduce how much medicine is needed.
How Coricib fits into this medicine category
| Group | Examples | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Simple analgesics | Paracetamol (Donapan) | No anti-inflammatory action; safest stomach profile |
| Non-selective NSAIDs | Ibuprofen, diclofenac | Effective; most stomach risk |
| Preferentially COX-2 selective | Meloxicam | Intermediate |
| COX-2 selective (coxibs) | Etoricoxib (Coricib, Azcura), celecoxib (Colcibra) | Least stomach risk; blood pressure attention |
| Corticosteroids | Prednisone | Far stronger; short courses or injection |
See the pain, inflammation and musculoskeletal medicines hub.
What to check before using Coricib
Have your blood pressure checked before starting, and again within a few weeks. This is the check most specific to etoricoxib, and it is the one most often skipped.
Take it once daily, at a consistent time, with or without food.
Never combine it with another anti-inflammatory — including over-the-counter ibuprofen and combination painkillers such as Gen-Payne, which contain one already.
Tell your prescriber or pharmacist if:
- You have high blood pressure, particularly if poorly controlled.
- You have heart disease, heart failure, or have had a heart attack or stroke.
- You have had coronary bypass surgery.
- You have a history of stomach ulcers or bleeding.
- You have kidney disease, or become dehydrated easily.
- You have liver disease.
- You have asthma with NSAID sensitivity.
- You have inflammatory bowel disease.
- You are pregnant or breastfeeding.
- You take warfarin, an SSRI antidepressant, a diuretic, an ACE inhibitor, lithium, methotrexate or the contraceptive pill.
- You are over 65.
Use the lowest strength that controls your symptoms, for the shortest period needed.
Follow the dispensing label. This page does not set doses.
Possible cautions and when to ask a pharmacist or doctor
Monitor your blood pressure. Etoricoxib can raise it appreciably — sometimes enough to need treatment or to stop the medicine. If you have a home monitor, use it in the first weeks and mention any rise.
Reduced stomach risk is not no stomach risk. Ulcers and bleeding still occur, especially in people at higher baseline risk. Anyone with a previous ulcer may still be given a stomach-protecting medicine alongside.
Kidney function can decline, particularly in older people, on blood-pressure medicines, or when dehydrated. During an illness with vomiting or diarrhoea, ask whether to pause it.
Fluid retention and ankle swelling are recognised and worth reporting, particularly with any breathlessness.
Serious skin reactions, though rare, are recognised. Stop and seek help immediately for a rash that blisters or peels, or involves the mouth or eyes.
Review long-term use periodically — is it still needed, still working, and could non-medicine measures reduce the requirement?
Seek urgent medical attention for chest pain, breathlessness, one-sided weakness or slurred speech, stomach pain, vomiting blood or coffee-ground material, black tarry stools, marked swelling of the legs or face, significantly reduced urine, yellowing of the skin or eyes, or a blistering or peeling rash.
Related medicine guides
- Browse Pain, Inflammation & Musculoskeletal Medicines guides
- Read: Prednisone used for
- Read: Donapan used for
Frequently asked questions
What is Coricib 90 mg used for? Osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis and acute gout attacks. It contains etoricoxib.
Is it the same as Azcura or Arcoxia? Yes. All are brands of etoricoxib.
Why must my blood pressure be checked? Etoricoxib raises blood pressure more than most anti-inflammatories, and it is not used where hypertension is uncontrolled.
Is it easier on the stomach than ibuprofen? Yes, meaningfully — it largely spares the enzyme that protects the stomach lining. The risk is reduced rather than removed.
Does it prevent gout attacks? No. It treats the attack. Preventing attacks requires lowering uric acid with a daily medicine such as allopurinol.
What is the difference between 60, 90 and 120 mg? The strength, matched to the condition. 120 mg is generally reserved for short-term use such as an acute gout attack.