$Unique_ID{BRK01006}
$Pretitle{Ill Defined Symptoms and Rare Diseases}
$Title{What Can be Done About Reducing Bad Effects from NSAIDs?}
$Subject{NSAID pain side effect}
$Volume{N}
$Log{}

Copyright (c) 1991   Tribune Media Services, Inc.


What Can be Done About Reducing Bad Effects from NSAIDs?


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QUESTION:  I recently saw a television program that presented a horrible story
of the terrible effects of new pills for pain called NSAIDs.  What it didn't
do was to tell people who needed these medications what could be done about
reducing bad effects.  Could you?  I need my medicine as it is the only one
that helps my arthritis pain.

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ANSWER:  I think you bring an important perspective to this problem.  Many
people do need NSAIDs (nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs) to control their
pains and aches from many sources.  Actually over 67 million prescriptions
were written for NSAIDs in 1984, almost 1/3 of which were for people over the
age of 65.  The good news is that for most of these patients the medication
was both safe and effective.  However there may be adverse reactions, the most
common occurring in the upper gastrointestinal tract, causing dyspepsia,
nausea and vomiting, and the formation of gastric and duodenal ulcers.  The
real danger lies in the fact that some ulcers occur without producing
symptoms.  However many people with symtoms do not have ulcers.  The symptoms
can be reduced or eliminated by taking these medications with meals, or
changing from one NSAID to another (there are more than 20 available).  When
symptoms do persist and NSAIDs must be taken, adding an antiulcer drug may be
helpful.  A new medication misoprostol, has been shown to prevent injury to
the stomach from NSAIDs.
ÿ
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The material contained here is "FOR INFORMATION ONLY" and should not replace 
the counsel and advice of your personal physician.  Promptly consulting your 
doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical 
problem.
