RT Book, Section A1 Simon, Lee S. A2 Bajwa, Zahid H. A2 Wootton, R. Joshua A2 Warfield, Carol A. SR Print(0) ID 1131936965 T1 Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs T2 Principles and Practice of Pain Medicine, 3e YR 2016 FD 2016 PB McGraw-Hill Education PP New York, NY SN 9780071766838 LK accessanesthesiology.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=1131936965 RD 2024/03/28 AB Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and antipyretic agents. They are used to reduce pain, decrease stiffness, and improve function in patients with osteoarthritis (OA), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and other forms of arthritis. They are also used for the treatment of pain including headache, dysmenorrhea, and postoperative pain.1-3 It is not known whether NSAID effectiveness results from the anti-inflammatory or analgesic effects or from other possible mechanisms.4 There are at least 20 different NSAIDs currently available in the United States (Table 74-1). Cyclooxygenase-2 selective inhibitors (COX-2 inhibitors [celecoxib]), have similar efficacy but with significantly decreased gastrointestinal (GI) and platelet effects.5-7 Several topical NSAIDs including diclofenac or salicylates for chronic pain have been approved in the United States; however, similar drugs have been available in Europe for a number of years. One study of a diclofenac liquid included an oral diclofenac comparator demonstrating no difference in efficacy from the topical agent in chronic dosing in treatment of the pain of osteoarthritis of the knee.8