|
Arthritis Pills Little Use in Beating
Pain
(London, Reuters Health, 11/24/04)
Jan Magnus Bjordal, and colleagues from the University of
Bergen, Norway, reviewed data from 23 clinical trials to
determine the effectiveness of COX-2 and non-steroidal
anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in relieving the pain of
knee osteoarthritis. The investigators concluded that the
pain relief provided by these medications is not much better
than that of a placebo. The scientists, therefore, suggest
that these arthritis drugs be prescribed short-term and
judiciously, taking into account both their limited
effectiveness and their association with extreme adverse
side affects, like gastrointestinal problems (NSAIDS) and
heart attack (COX-2).
(British Medical Journal, 2004) |
Article Summary