 |
Aleve, Vioxx, Celebrex, and Bextra: What You Need to Know About Arthritis Pain Medications
Aleve, Vioxx, Celebrex and Bextra:
What You Need To Know About Arthritis Pain Medications
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.
About the Author
R.L. Fielding writes on a number of subjects.
 Free Yourself of the Swelling, Stiffness and Pain, and Live Your Life 150% Better by Banishing Your Arthritis in Just One Month!
Arthritis Free For Life
|
Arthritis News
Can-Fite expands into Korea (Globes Online) - Mon, 01 Sep 2008 16:40:09 GMT
A Korean pharmaceutical company received exclusivity to market CF101 as a rheumatoid arthritis treatment. Data Suggest CEL-SCI's CEL-2000 Vaccine Prevents or Retards Permanent Damage of Rheumatoid Arthritis (PR Newswire via Yahoo! Finance) - Fri, 05 Sep 2008 13:45:00 GMT
CEL-SCI Corporation announced today that it presented new rheumatoid arthritis data at the Marcus Evans conference on Immunogenicity in Amsterdam. Biotech Genmab loses veteran executive (The Star-Ledger) - Wed, 03 Sep 2008 17:18:03 GMT
Genmab, a Danish biotech with U.S. offices in Princeton, is losing a top executive who helped found the company in 1999.
|
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
You Can Exercise With Arthritis
When a person is diagnosed with arthritis, exercise is usually the last thing on their mind. It may be difficult to walk through the grocery store, write a letter or stand on your feet. Many people assume that all exercise should be avoided. This is not true. In fact, with many forms of the disease, arthritis exercise is encouraged.
Your Joint Pain May Be Arthritis
Are you having problems with one or more joints? Are you aware of the signs which point to arthritis symptoms? If not, you should educate yourself on this disease. If diagnosed early, there is much you can do to keep arthritis symptoms at bay and to keep your joints from becoming severely damaged.
Arthritis Information Is a Click Away
Everyone who has arthritis should stay up to date with the latest arthritis information. Research on arthritis is continual. You should stay alert and watchful, as an arthritis cure will surely be found soon.
Degenerative Arthritis Is the Most Common Form of Arthritis
Degenerative arthritis, commonly known as osteoarthritis, is the result of a breakdown in the cartilage between the joints. Cartilage is necessary, as it serves as the padding between the bones. Degenerative arthritis is the most common form of arthritis. Degenerative arthritis affects upwards of 20 million people in the United States alone.
Get Arthritis Aids for Your Loved One
Individuals who suffer with arthritis can find that the simplest everyday tasks are difficult to perform. This can lead many to slump into depression as they assume they are incapable of functioning normally. These arthritis patients need to understand arthritis aids exist which can assist them in all aspects of their life. You can find many arthritis aids on the Internet.
Gout Arthritis Is Treatable
One of the most painful disorders which can affect your joints is gout arthritis. Gout arthritis has been around for eons and has been studied extensively by physicians. We now know that gout arthritis is brought on by an excessive amount of uric acid in the body. When your body has an excess of uric acid, many things can happen. Kidney stones can develop, tophi (hard nodules) may gather under the skin, and crystal deposits may also form around the joints. Gout arthritis can affect anyone. Research tells us that men are more at risk, yet women are more susceptible to gout arthritis after they go through menopause. Gout arthritis can be contributed to genetics, foods, alcohol, medication and low water consumption.
Is There an Arthritis Diet?
There are many types of arthritis, and there is typically no “diet” which an arthritis patient can be placed on. While diabetics are given much information on the foods they should eat, the foods they should avoid and portion size, arthritis patients do not have an arthritis diet to lean on.
Knee Arthritis Can Lead to Replacement Surgery
Knee arthritis is usually brought about by osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis occurs by excessive stress on the joint. This can occur by being overweight, having an old injury, or by participating in a high impact sport or exercise program. Knee arthritis occurs as a person ages. If it occurs in a young person, they may have rheumatoid arthritis.
Many Arthritis Patients Are Choosing Glucosamine for Pain Relief
While science has yet to bring us a cure for arthritis, there are many different forms of alternative medicine which can bring arthritis pain relief. While one individual may benefit from magnet therapy and another may see relief through acupuncture, glucosamine dietary supplements are showing themselves to be the leader of the pack in regards to arthritis pain relief.
|
