Recent controversy about the safety of pain medications for arthritis has left patients and health care professionals alike confused about which medications are safe to use. In fact, a recent survey by the Boston-based Rippe Lifestyle Institute indicated that many people with arthritis are suffering unnecessarily because they have stopped or reduced their use of pain relievers due to confusion about which drugs are considered safe.
The survey also showed that now, more than ever, those with arthritis need to understand the benefits and possible side effects associated with all arthritis pain medications. In order to do so, people with arthritis, their caregivers and families must be familiar with recent news about the two types of drugs most commonly used to treat arthritis pain ? non-selective, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and another group of NSAIDs known as cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) specific inhibitors.
COX-2 specific inhibitors vs. Other NSAIDs
COX-2 specific inhibitors are the newest members of the NSAID class of medications. Available by prescription only, they became widely used in recent years to reduce joint pain and swelling. COX-2 specific inhibitors work by selectively blocking, or inhibiting, one of the two enzymes associated with inflammation. Some experts think that this selective inhibition may be one reason for some of the negative side effects currently associated with COX-2 specific inhibitors.
Non-selective NSAIDs were developed earlier than COX-2 specific inhibitors and have been widely used to relieve arthritis pain and inflammation for many years. Unlike COX-2 specific inhibitors, non-selective NSAIDs inhibit both major enzymes involved in the inflammatory process, COX-1 and COX-2. The non-selective NSAID category includes a number of different medications that are available in both prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) products.
Timeline of Events
To understand the current state of affairs, it is important to understand the sequence of events. The controversy started when a study published in the October 21, 2004, issue of the New England Journal of Medicine cited the COX-2 specific inhibitor, Vioxx as potentially causing "major adverse events," including heart attack and stroke, among patients taking the drug. As a result, Merck (the drug's manufacturer) voluntarily withdrew Vioxx from the market. However, in the months following, the safety of the other available COX-2 specific inhibitors such as Celebrex and Bextra, as well as other arthritis pain medications in the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) class, were also called into question.
Consequently, in February 2005, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) convened a special Advisory Committee, made up of members of the Arthritis and Drug Safety Advisory Committees, to review the cardiovascular safety of these arthritis pain medications.
FDA Directive: Stronger Warning Labels for Some Pain Medications
On April 7, 2005, taking into account the recommendations of the Advisory Committee, the FDA issued the following directives:
? Bextra, a COX-2 specific inhibitor manufactured by Pfizer, was withdrawn from the market.
? All prescription NSAIDs must revise their labeling to include a "black box" warning that highlights the potential increased risk for cardiovascular (CV) events as well as the potentially life threatening gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding associated with these drugs. Celebrex, the only COX-2 specific inhibitor remaining on the US market, was included in this directive.
? All OTC NSAIDs (except aspirin) will be required to revise their labeling to include more specific information about the potential for GI and CV side effects, a stronger reminder to follow label instructions, as well as a warning about potential skin reactions.
To further evaluate the potential for increased CV risk, the FDA also announced that all NSAIDs must conduct and submit to the FDA a comprehensive review and analysis of pertinent safety data from clinical trials.
? Aleve (naproxen sodium) is supported by clinical studies conducted to gain approval of naproxen as a prescription product and as OTC that do not provide any evidence of increased risk of cardiovascular events.
Treatment Options: What Should Arthritis Patients Know?
For some people who suffer from pain associated with arthritis, their symptoms can be managed with exercise, heat/cold therapy, joint protection, assistive devices, weight control, or in some severe cases, surgery. For others, medications are needed to help manage the symptoms associated with arthritis.
When taken as directed OTC medications such as Aleve provide a safe and effective way to treat mild to moderate pain of minor arthritis. If patients have questions, they should consult their health care professional about which treatment option is most appropriate.
Why It's Important to Treat Arthritis
Arthritis affects approximately 66 million Americans and is the nation's leading cause of disability. There are over 100 different types of arthritis, and they all have different symptoms that vary in severity from person to person. The most common form of arthritis, osteoarthritis, is characterized by the breakdown of cartilage that causes the bones to rub together, resulting in pain, loss of movements and stiffness. Arthritis is usually a chronic condition.
For more information on Aleve and naproxen, visit the Aleve website at www.aleve.com. For more information on arthritis pain relief, visit www.arthritis.org
Please visit http://www.aleve.com for more information.
Americans are on the go. According to a NSGA Survey,... Read More
The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) is responsible for overseeing... Read More
According to the Los Angeles Times, the California Association of... Read More
Are you currently on one or more pharmaceutical drugs? Perhaps... Read More
One of the most prevalent and difficult health conditions to... Read More
Purchasing drugs from a Mexican pharmacy is, for the most... Read More
This past week, the FDA held a meeting in order... Read More
With more medical advantages, an adjustable bed finds more functions... Read More
There are a lot of fabulous stories about Cetyl Myristoleate... Read More
No person likes to feel housebound and dependent on others.... Read More
Stevens Johnson Syndrome (SJS) is a severe and deadly allergic... Read More
Tumescent liposuction is done using a local aesthetic. A large... Read More
Medical Billing SoftwareThe practice is running smoothly, with patients coming... Read More
It is the reality of the 21st century medical practice... Read More
We all know that there's no such thing as cheap... Read More
If you ever go to cold countries, you should undoubtedly... Read More
Zyprexa is a prescription drug that treats schizophrenia, acute mania... Read More
GET TO KNOW YOUR ARTHRITISArthritis is referred to as the... Read More
Anxiety is the most frequently occurring mental health disorder in... Read More
Heartburn is a by-product of digestion, specifically affecting the esophagus... Read More
Throughout time there have always been two opposing points of... Read More
With the increasing price of prescription medications, many consumers are... Read More
Irritable bowel syndrome is a debilitating and distressing condition, which... Read More
Chrisopher Reeve has died. But his vision of a "Cure"... Read More
Since the beginning of mankind, mental illness has played a... Read More
Myth #1: "Nothing can be done about arthritis..."You don't have... Read More
Finding the right treatment for any person suffering with a... Read More
Ever given a piece of thought to how actually one... Read More
Tendons are ropes of fibrous tissue that connect muscles to... Read More
The answer is simple: there is no such thing as... Read More
We live in an age that demands an instant cure... Read More
It just seemed too absurd to be true, but there... Read More
An estimated 85 million Americans have acquired the herpes simplex... Read More
Thalidomide is responsible for causing more than 10,000 children to... Read More
Following the recall of Fen-Phen and Redux in 1999 (two... Read More
In continuation of mood enhancement drugs for kids and adolescents,... Read More
In patients with corneal thickness below a certain minimum, performing... Read More
1. Support the affected arm during activities of daily living.... Read More
Lunesta is a newly released sleeping pill. Marketed as a... Read More
Everything can be found on the Internet. At various sites... Read More
Anxiety is the most frequently occurring mental health disorder in... Read More
Warning: This article is for information only and can not... Read More
Marketing Authorisation: Medicinal Products The case of R (on the... Read More
I recently had a reader send me this comment:"As a... Read More
When compared with the other prescription diet pills, Phentermine is... Read More
Ephedra is a naturally occuring herbal dietary supplement that has... Read More
Zyprexa is an antipsychotic medication that works by changing the... Read More
How Does Online Pharmacies Affect Pharmacy Leaders?With cheaper drugs made... Read More
Risperdal is an atypical anti-psychotic drug that balances the levels... Read More
Modern civilization has produced an unusually stressful environment to humans... Read More
We cannot help but accept the fact that children do... Read More
Nowadays many people are familiar with the appellation of "low... Read More
Many people today realize the importance of keeping their blood... Read More
According to Dr. Nathan Wei, "The hand and wrist are... Read More
When diversifying an investment portfolio, one needs to consider investing... Read More
Many eye doctors believed until recently that if a child's... Read More
"If you have to deal with chronic neck pain, it... Read More
Today in the United States, there are hundreds of thousands... Read More
Lunesta is a newly released sleeping pill. Marketed as a... Read More
There is a huge concern in the medical industry that... Read More
The World Health Organization declares that heart disease is the... Read More
Lamictal, or lamotrigine, is an anti-seizure medication that has been... Read More
Pharmaceutical giant Bristol Myers Squibb has announced that they will... Read More
Recent controversy about the safety of pain medications for arthritis... Read More
Of all the places in the body that can hurt,... Read More
The treatment of high blood pressure is one of the... Read More
Medicine |