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Comparing drugs for arthritis
Several years ago, when my arthritis began acting up, I started taking aspirin to relieve my pain and inflammation.
When my physician discovered I was taking at least 27 regular aspirin tablets a day, he was horrified. Then he prescribed Lodine (etodolac).
It eases my arthritis symptoms so much, it is like a miracle. How safe is it compared with other drugs?
Decades ago, doctors relied on aspirin to ease inflammation. In acute flare-ups of rheumatic fever, the dose might go up to 24 pills. But at such high levels the drug can cause ringing in the ears and serious stomach ulcers.
Then many nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) were developed to relieve pain. They include diclofenac (Cataflam, Voltaren), etodolac (Lodine), fenoprofen (Nalfon), ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil), indomethacin (Indocin), nabumetone (Relafen) and naproxen (Aleve, Anaprox, Naprosyn).
Like aspirin, such drugs can cause stomach irritation and bleeding ulcers. They may also raise blood pressure. There is growing concern that some may also increase the risk of heart attacks or strokes, as Vioxx does.