Anti-inflammatory Drugs Relieve Arthritis Pain
The Positive and Negative Effects of NSAIDS
Aug 16, 2009
It is important to have a good understanding of the medications used to treat the symptoms of arthritis and even more important to understand that NSAIDs are used to treat symptoms of arthritis not to cure arthritis. NSAIDs have different market names; below is a list and short description of them.
Types of NSAIDs
- Aspirin - There are many brand names for aspirin. A few of them are Bufferin, Ecotrin, and Genacote.
- Celebrex - A Cox-2 inhibitor used for arthritis pain, fever, menstrual cramps and more.
- Voltaren - Used to treat arthritis pain, Voltaren can increase a patient's risk of heart or circulation problems.
- Dolobid - Also known as Diflunisal.
- Lodine - Reduces the hormones that cause inflammation and pain.
- Motrin - Relieves pain and inflammation from toothache, headache, back pain, arthritis and more.
- Indocin - Treats Rheumatoid Arthritis, Ankylosing Spondylitis, gout, bursitis, and tendonitis.
- Orudis - Also known as Ketoprofen, Orudis treats menstrual cramps in addition to arthritis pain.
- Toradol - Used as short-term treatment of inflammation and arthritis pain.
- Relafen - Used to treat symptoms of arthritis.
- Aleve - Also known as Naproxen, it is used for temporary relief of aches and pains.
- Naprosyn - Treats symptoms of arthritis but is not a cure.
- Daypro - Also known as Oxaprozin, Daypro treats symptoms of RA, osteoarthritis, and juvenile arthritis.
- Feldene - Piroxicam provides relief of Arthritis symptoms.
- Amigesic - A salicylate that provides temporary relief of Arthritis symptoms.
- Clinoril - Also known as Sulindac.
- Tolectin - Tolmetin Sodium treats Arthritis symptoms.
How do NSAIDs work?
NSAIDs work to reduce the amount of prostaglandin in the body by inhibiting the enzymes that produce them, cyclooxygenase (COX). There are two types of COX enzymes: COX-1 and COX-2; both of these enzymes produce prostaglandins which promote inflammation, fever, and pain.
COX-1 enzymes also produce a prostaglandin that supports platelets and protect the stomach. Therefore, an NSAID which inhibits production of COX-1 can cause ulcers and bleeding. In the past, traditional NSAIDs blocked both COX-1 and COX-2. However, new drugs, which only inhibit COX-2, have been introduced to the market.
NSAID Side Effects
As with most medicines, a variety of side effects accompany the use of NSAIDS. The most common side effects include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, decreased appetite, rash, dizziness, headache and drowsiness. While fluid retention does not occur as often, it can cause serious side effects from edema: kidney failure and liver failure. Other serious side effects such as an increased risk for heart attacks, thrombosis and stroke can affect patients taking NSAIDs. One such medication, Vioxx, was taken off the market in 2004.
Vioxx and law suits
Rofecoxib, aka Vioxx, was a popular drug and, at one time, over 80 million people were prescribed the medication worldwide. Approved by the FDA in 1999 and marketed by Merck, this wonder drug relieved chronic and acute pain caused by arthritis.
However, in 2004, concerns that Vioxx could increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes led Merck to remove the drug from the market. Over 10,000 cases and 190 class action lawsuits have been filed against Merck. Millions of dollars have been set aside for settlement of the lawsuits.
On August 3, 2009, Merck agreed to pay $80 million to settle 190 outstanding cases, which were not settled in 2007 when Merck paid $4.85 billion to settle personal injury cases. According to the news wire, a separate fund of $15 million has been established to cover attorney’s fees.
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