THE COX-2s: Oh well, back to the drawing board

First there were the NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs). Trouble was, they caused all sorts of stomach problems, including ulcers and stomach bleeding. So drug companies came up with a new breed of anti-inflammatories, the COX-2 (cyclo-oyygenase) drugs, which were designed to be kinder to the stomach.

So, researchers recently tested a COX-2 on patients who were taking an NSAID for arthritis, but who had suffered bleeding ulcers as a result. But the COX-2 was no better, and ulcer bleeding recurred in most cases. (Source: New England Journal of Medicine, 2002; 347: 2104-10).

For more information about NSAIDS and the treatments for arthritis, buy The WDDTY Arthritis Handbook. It’s available from our website: http://www.wddty.co.uk/shop/details.asp?product=5