Osteoarthritis drugs are assessed to have same risks, benefits

Reported by Susan Aldridge, PhD, medical journalist

COX-2 inhibitors and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are equally good for osteoarthritis and have the same level of risk.
There has been concern recently that drugs used to treat osteoarthritis may increase the risk of a heart attack. Osteoarthritis is a joint disease involving erosion of cartilage which causes pain, swelling and disability. The two main classes of drugs used in this context, for pain relief, are the COX-2 inhibitors and the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality now reports a review of the benefits and risks of these two classes of drug.

The review involved looking at 360 studies and compared the effectiveness and the heart attack and gastric side effects. The researchers conclude more needs to be known about the drugs' comparative risks and also their long-term impact on health. However, there appears to be little difference, in broad terms, between the COX-2 inhibitors and the NSAIDs when it comes to pain relief and heart attack risk.

Source
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality 7th October 2006

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