| Medications for Scleroderma, Arthritis,
Autoimmune and Rheumatic Diseases |
| This page was written by Janey Willis and has not yet been medically edited. See Disclaimer. |
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| NSAIDs, Anti-Inflammatories, Pain Medications |
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| Overview of NSAIDs |
| Information for Patients About NSAIDs. Traditional NSAIDs include aspirin, ibuprofen (e.g., Advil, Motrin), naproxen (e.g., Aleve) and many other generic and brand name drugs. A newer addition to the NSAID group is celecoxib (Celebrex) which is a COX 2 Selective NSAID. American College of Rheumatology. |
| Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Non Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) are medications which, as well as having pain-relieving (analgesic) effects, have the effect of reducing inflammation when used over a period of time. MedInfo.co.uk. |
| Taking more than one painkiller risky: study. People who use two or more non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to help control pain have a worse health-related quality of life than their peers who use only one, results of a study suggest. Reuters. 02/11/08. |
| Scleroderma Treatments and Clinical Trials ISN. |
| Possible Side Effects of NSAIDs |
| NSAIDs. Dosage,Side Effects, Drug Interactions, Warnings. About.com. |
| Anti-inflammatory drugs don't cut dementia risk, they raise it. Researchers followed 2,736 members of Group Health who were an average age of 75 at the study's start. Participants were tracked for 12 years to see if they developed dementia, including Alzheimer's disease. Mary Brophy Marcus, USA TODAY. 04/22/09. |
| Acetaminophen use and the risk of asthma in children and adults: a systematic review and metaanalysis. The results of our review are consistent with an increase in the risk of asthma and wheezing in both children and adults exposed to acetaminophen. Future studies are needed to confirm these results. Chest. 2009 Nov;136(5):1316-23. (Also see: Asthma) |
| Use of NSAIDs and infection with Helicobacter pylori-what does the rheumatologist need to know? Ulcer risk reduction after H. pylori eradication therapy is clearly more marked in patients beginning NSAID therapy than in patients who were already receiving and tolerating NSAID therapy. U. Kiltz. Rheumatology Advance Access. May 13, 2008 (Also see: GI Involvement). |
| American Heart Association statement recommends doctors change approach. Many doctors should change the way they prescribe pain relievers for chronic pain in patients with or at risk for heart disease based on accumulated evidence that nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), with the exception of aspirin, increase risk for heart attack and stroke. EurekAlert! 02/26/07. (Also see: Cardiac Involvement) |
| Popular Painkillers Linked to Hospital Admissions For Heart Failure. A British study has shown that nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) drugs raise older patients' risk of a first hospital admission for heart failure by 30%. the study looked at people aged 60-84. Not only do NSAIDs raise th erisk for patients with a history of cardiovascular disease, but also people without any history of heart disease. Medical News Today. 05/22/06. |
| Study examines NSAID use and breast cancer risk. Ibuprofen use is associated with an increased risk of breast cancer, and long-term daily use of aspirin is associated with an increased risk of estrogen receptor/progesterone receptor (ER/PR)-negative breast cancer, according to a new study in the June 1 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. EurekAlert! 05/30/05. (Also see: Scleroderma and Cancer) |
| FDA and Other Warnings about NSAIDs |
| The Danger of Daily Aspirin. Medical experts say some people who are taking aspirin on a regular basis should think about stopping. The concern is that aspirin's side effects, which can include bleeding ulcers, might outweigh the potential benefits when taken by many healthy or older people. Anna Wilde Mathews. Wall Street Journal. 02/23/10. |
| Experts Warn Against Long-Term Use of Common Pain Pills. An expert panel of the American Geriatric Society has removed almost all non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) from the list of recommended medicines for older adults with chronic, persistent pain. According to this panel, long-term use of NSAIDs such as ibuprofen, naproxen, and high-dose aspirin is so dangerous that it would be safer for elderly people to take opiates such as codeine or morphine for pain relief, if they can’t get relief from acetaminophen. Roni Caryn Rabin. The New York Times. 05/06/09. (Also see: Managing Pain) |
| Cox-2 Inhibitors |
| COX-2 inhibitors are a form of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) that directly targets COX-2, an enzyme responsible for inflammation and pain. Celebrex and Vioxx are Cox-2 inhibitors. ISN. |
| Cox-2 Inhibitors. The COX-2 inhibitors represent a new class of drugs that do not affect COX-1, but selectively block only COX-2. This selective action provides the benefits of reducing inflammation without irritating the stomach. MedicineNet.com. |
| Cox-2 Use Is Down, but Ulcers Are Up. Patients turn to traditional NSAID painkillers but skip drugs that protect their stomachs. WebMD. 11/10/07. |
| Celebrex research indicates heart risk. Side effects similar to those of Vioxx—FDA has 'concerns'. In a soon-to-be-published letter released early by the New England Journal of Medicine, three Vanderbilt University researchers recommended that doctors stop prescribing the drug (Celebrex) because of its cardiovascular risks. San Francisco Chronicle 12/18/04. |
| Arthritis Drug Vioxx Recalled. Merck & Co. is pulling its blockbuster arthritis drug Vioxx from the market worldwide because new data from a clinical trial found an increased risk of heart attack and stroke. Merck said Thursday that data from the trial showed the increased risk of heart attack and other cardiovascular complications began 18 months after patients started taking Vioxx. CBS News 09/30/04. (Also see: Medications) |
