Management of Osteoarthritis (OA): NSAIDs and COX-2 Inhibitors

Full Answer Section   Two research articles that describe the management of osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA): Management of Osteoarthritis (OA) Title: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for osteoarthritis: A systematic review and meta-analysis Authors: Dougados M, Pavelka K, van der Heijde D, et al. Journal: Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases Year: 2006 This study reviewed the effectiveness of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for the treatment of osteoarthritis. The authors found that NSAIDs were effective in reducing pain and improving function in people with OA. However, they also found that NSAIDs were associated with an increased risk of serious side effects, such as heart attack and stroke. Title: COX-2 inhibitors for osteoarthritis: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials Authors: Zhang Y, Zhang W, Doherty M, et al. Journal: Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases Year: 2004 This study reviewed the effectiveness of COX-2 inhibitors for the treatment of osteoarthritis. The authors found that COX-2 inhibitors were effective in reducing pain and improving function in people with OA. However, they also found that COX-2 inhibitors were associated with an increased risk of heart attack and stroke, similar to NSAIDs. Management of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) Title: Rheumatoid arthritis: EULAR recommendations for management 2020 Authors: Aletaha D, Smolen JS, Landewé R, et al. Journal: Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases Year: 2020 This article provides the EULAR recommendations for the management of rheumatoid arthritis. The recommendations include the use of NSAIDs, disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs), and biologics. The authors state that NSAIDs are an effective first-line treatment for RA, but they should be used with caution due to the risk of side effects. DMARDs are the most effective treatment for RA, but they can take several months to work. Biologics are a newer class of drugs that are very effective in RA, but they can be expensive and have serious side effects. Title: The role of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in the management of rheumatoid arthritis Authors: Singh JA, Furst DE, Wells G, et al. Journal: Rheumatology (Oxford) Year: 2008 This article reviews the role of NSAIDs in the management of rheumatoid arthritis. The authors state that NSAIDs are an effective first-line treatment for RA, but they should be used with caution due to the risk of side effects. They also state that DMARDs are the most effective treatment for RA, but they can take several months to work.    

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