NSAIDs increase heart risk: Now what for osteoarthritis pain?

It was recently revealed that use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs—over the counter products like Advil, Motrin, ibuprofen, and Aleve, and prescription meds like Celebrex, Voltaren, Indocin, Naprosyn, Feldene, Daypro and Anaprox—can increase the risk of cardiovascular events (heart attacks and strokes) after as little as 7 days of continuous use. Experts now urge that patients use them sparingly.

This adds to concerns about these popular pain relievers which in the past have been implicated in high blood pressure, stomach ulcers, and kidney failure. It’s particularly problematic, since the very same people who need relief from painful joints due to osteoarthritis are often older, and inherently susceptible to circulatory problems.

This is not surprising. Recall the Vioxx and Bextra debacles of several years ago, when those highly-touted pain relievers were yanked from the marketplace after they were found to dramatically increase the risk of cardiovascular events. It was estimated that Vioxx alone was responsible for 60,000 excess deaths.

So what are the alternatives? In a remarkable confluence of events, a recent study revealed that chondroitin sulfate—often teamed with glucosamine—can offer a safe alternative to NSAIDs for osteoarthritis pain, with equivalent benefits.

It’s worth mentioning at this point that new research challenges the notion that osteoarthritis is merely a “wear and tear” disease, the inevitable consequence of aging. Except in instances of Repetitive Stress Injury (RSI), osteoarthritis is now coming to be recognized as a metabolic disorder.

I get it that excess pounds put additional gravitational stress on the knees, hips, and feet. But how does mere poundage account for the fact that overweight individuals experience more osteoarthritis of the fingers and wrists? Surely they don’t walk on their knuckles like gorillas!

The answer lies in the close relationship between insulin resistance and inflammation..

More from Dr. Hoffman