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Healthy Weight Loss Diets |
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Cardiovascular Health, Fibromyalgia, Osteoporosis, Diabetes, High Cholesterol, High Triglycerides,
Acid Reflux,
Heartburn, High
Blood Pressure, Hypoglycemia, Irritable
Bowel, Menopause, Arthritis,
Rheumatoid Arthritis,
Reduce Cholesterol.
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When taken regularly and at high doses,
traditional nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) used for pain
relief can cause gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding or ulcers. But a new
type of NSAID, cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors, better known as COX-2
inhibitors, has joined the old standbys and helps suppress arthritis
with less stomach irritation.
Cyclooxygenases are enzymes needed for
the synthesis of hormone-like substances called prostaglandins. There
are two types of cyclooxygenases: the COX-2 enzyme that mediates
inflammation and pain, and the COX-1 enzyme that helps maintain other
physiological functions in the body. Traditional NSAIDs inhibit both
enzymes. The new NSAIDs, however, block mostly the COX-2 enzyme,
offering a new treatment option for people who have had difficulty
tolerating the old NSAIDs.
FDA approved the first COX-2 inhibitor, Celebrex (celecoxib), in
December 1998 to treat rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. Vioxx (refecoxib)
became the second COX-2 inhibitor to receive approval, in May 1999, but
only for the treatment of osteoarthritis, dysmenorrhea (pain with
menstrual periods), and the relief of acute pain in adults, such as that
caused by dental surgery.
Both drugs, taken orally, were found to substantially lower the risk of
stomach and upper intestinal ulcers detected by endoscopy in clinical
trials, compared with other NSAIDs. Additional studies are needed to
determine whether Celebrex and Vioxx actually cause fewer serious
stomach problems, including GI ulceration, bleeding and perforation.
Until such studies are done, FDA is requiring the drugs' labeling to
include the standard warning about the GI risks that are associated with
NSAIDs.
Two non-drug alternatives for the treatment of pain in osteoarthritis of
the knee were approved by the Center for Devices and Radiological Health
in 1997 for patients who have failed to respond adequately to simple
analgesics, such as acetaminophen, and to conservative nonpharmacologic
therapy. Hyalgan and Synvisc are viscous solutions composed of
hyaluronan (hyaluronic acid, a lubricant found naturally in the joints),
and are injected directly into the knee joint. Both are believed to
increase the quality of synovial fluid, although the mechanism of action
for these products is not well understood. The most common side effects
reported from these treatments--injection site pain and knee pain and/or
swelling--were found to be temporary. For patients who cannot tolerate
oral medications and who are not candidates for surgical knee
replacement, these treatments may be an ideal option.
We have specialized programs specifically for people with Arthritis and
Rheumatoid arthritis conditions. If you have been diagnosed
with arthritis by your physician take control over your condition and
JOIN Total Body Fitness TODAY!
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