What is osteoarthritis and how could rofecoxib help?
Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis that can affect the hands, hips, shoulders and knees. In OA, the cartilage that protects the ends of the bones breaks down and causes pain and swelling. Rofecoxib is often referred to as a ‘COX II inhibitor’ and is one of the new non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) prescribed to decrease pain and inflammation. Other NSAIDS, such as naproxen (Naprosyn) are also prescribed but they come with warnings that they may cause stomach problems such as ulcers, bleeds and sores that can be serious. Rofecoxib is thought to be safer on the stomach than other NSAIDS. Rofecoxib was taken off the market in October 2004. A study had shown that people taking rofecoxib to prevent colon cancer had more heart attacks and strokes than people taking a sugar pill. What did studies testing rofecoxib in OA show? Studies showed people taking rofecoxib improved more than people taking a sugar pill. Three studies showed that 29 out of 100 people f
