In a controlled, large-cohort, longitudinal study from Canada, Atiquazzaman et al. found that use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) substantially contributes to increased cardiovascular disease risk among people with osteoarthritis (OA).1 This is the first study to evaluate the mediating role that NSAIDs play in the association between OA and cardiovascular disease (CVD), and the…
Drug Safety: Fasinumab Evaluated in Clinical Trials, Plus Celecoxib May Not Pose Increased Heart Attack or Stroke Risk
After an independent review, ongoing clinical trials investigating the safety of fasinumab for treating hip or knee OA will discontinue the use of higher fasinumab doses…
Study Examines Why Patients Exceed Recommended Doses of Ibuprofen & NSAIDs
A recent study examined how often patients exceed the dosing limits of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and identified the characteristics of the patients most likely to exceed recommended doses…
Opioids No Better Than NSAIDs for Chronic Back or Arthritis Pain
(Reuters Health)—Acetaminophen, ibuprofen and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are better than opioids at easing the intensity of chronic pain in the back, knees or hips, a U.S. experiment suggests. And opioids are no better than these other drugs at reducing how much pain interferes with daily activities, such as walking, working, sleeping or enjoying…
Ibuprofen More Likely to Raise BP than Naproxen or Celecoxib
NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—Ibuprofen boosts blood pressure (BP) more than naproxen or celecoxib in patients who take non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to treat arthritis, according to a new substudy from the PRECISION trial. “These drugs are different with regard to BP, and ibuprofen is the worst,” Dr. Frank Ruschitzka of University Hospital Zurich in Switzerland,…
NSAIDs Increase MI Risk; Plus New Label Warnings for Canagliflozin
NSAIDs Increase Myocardial Infarction Risk According a recent meta-analysis of real-world non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) use, NSAIDs may increase the risk of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). The analysis used individual patient data meta-analysis of studies from healthcare databases in Canada, Finland and the U.K. to determine the time course for risk of AMI, as well…
Spinal Manipulation Might Help Ease Acute Low Back Pain
(Reuters Health)—Spinal manipulation may work as well for easing lower back pain as anti-inflammatory medications, a research review concludes. Based on data from 15 previously conducted trials involving a total of 1,711 adults, the study team found that spinal manipulation achieved meaningful reductions in pain and improvements in function after six weeks of treatment. The…
Insights into Drug-Related Interactions in Older Adults
A study showed that prior hospitalization and the use of multiple medications are risk factors for drug and drug–disease interactions…
NSAIDs Effective for Early Axial Spondyloarthritis
NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are effective, but underused, in patients with early axial spondyloarthritis, researchers from France report. NSAIDs are the cornerstone of treatment of axial spondyloarthritis, but there is often a trade-off between prescribing doses high enough to decrease pain and other symptoms vs. keeping the doses low enough to decrease…
New Guideline: NSAIDs Effective in Treating Ankylosing Spondylitis & Nonradiographic Axial Spondyloarthritis
In February, new recommendations were released for the treatment of ankylosing spondylitis and nonradiographic axial spondyloarthritis, noting that NSAIDs may be the best initial treatment for the diseases, with TNF inhibitors as second-line therapies. The guideline was the result of a joint effort by the ACR, the Spondylitis Association of America and the Spondyloarthritis Research and Treatment Network…