| ■ Most Arthritis Drugs Offer Same Benefits, Risks | 06.09.29 |
| Two classes of drugs -- non-steroidal anti inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and COX-2 inhibitors -- commonly used to treat osteoarthritis (OA) provide about the same level of pain relief and carry a similar increased risk of heart attack, concludes a U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality report released Tuesday. One exception is the NSAID naproxen (Aleve), which may present a lower risk of heart attack than other NSAIDs or COX-2 inhibitors, the report said. The authors reviewed 360 published studies on 26 drugs. Among their conclusions: · All NSAIDs and COX-2 inhibitors can cause or worsen hypertension, congestive heart failure, swelling and impaired kidney function. · Most NSAIDs and COX-2 inhibitors pose similar increased risks of heart attack. · There's no clear difference in pain relief effectiveness among NSAIDs and COX-2 inhibitors. · The risk for serious adverse gastrointestinal events among people taking Celebrex is about the same as for those taking Motrin, Advil, Voltaren and other NSAIDs. · More research is needed to compare the cardiac and gastrointestinal risks of aspirin at doses effective for OA-related pain relief versus other NSAIDs. · Acetaminophen is generally less effective against OA-related pain than NSAIDs, but carries a smaller risk of gastrointestinal problems. |