Aspirin and Related Drugs (NSAIDs).
Last updated Friday, May 11, 2007
Characteristics of NSAIDSNonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs Aspirin and the other salicylates belong to a group of drugs called nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (or NSAIDs for short).
All NSAIDs have the ability to reduce the effects of inflammation
present in most types of arthritis. They are not related to the steroid
drugs, which are a different group of well-known anti-inflammatory
drugs similar to hormones such as cortisone. The NSAIDs appear to work
by blocking the action of various body chemicals, which cause some of
the pain and inflammation of arthritis.
An advantage of aspirin over the other NSAIDs is that aspirin costs
less. Because a person with arthritis must take medication for a long
time, aspirin's fairly low cost is often a major factor in the choice
of drug treatment.
Patients whose joint pain persists despite aspirin or NSAIDs for joint
pain may have a serious orthopaedic condition. Older patients with knee
pain, hip pain, shoulder pain, or elbow pain may have arthritis, and
there are surgical options for managing this -- including minimally-invasive knee replacement, total hip replacement, shoulder replacement, or elbow replacement, depending on the joint involved. Younger patients whose knee pain persists despite NSAIDs may have a meniscus tear, which may be repairable.
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