 NSAIDs can help with the following: | |  | | | Aging |  Alzheimer's Disease | At least twenty studies suggest that Ibuprofen and other NSAIDs - common non-prescription drugs - may slow or prevent the onset of Alzheimer's disease by as much as 60%. Researchers say it also opens up a new way to think about how Ibuprofen protects the brain.
"We've shown that a drug that's available, that's been in use for 30 to 40 years, and for which we know the side-effect profiles... can reduce both the inflammatory response to amyloid and the amyloid itself", says study leader Gregory M. Cole of the University of California in Los Angeles.
Note that NSAIDs can cause serious stomach problems, including bleeding. Investigators therefore hesitate to recommend widespread use of the drugs until they can develop safer versions.
Certain NSAIDs work by decreasing the levels of amyloid-beta 42 rather than by inhibiting cyclooxygenase, as was once proposed. Advil (Ibuprofen) is the most effective, requiring as little as 800mg per day to reduce the risk of Alzheimer's without serious side-effects. Other NSAIDs require much higher doses to achieve this benefit, while aspirin, Naproxen and celeloxib (Celebrex) were found ineffective. |
Not recommended for:
 Parkinson's Disease| | Naproxen and other NSAIDs may exacerbate Parkinson's disease. |
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Digestion |
Not recommended for:
Gastrointestinal Bleeding
 Gastric/Peptic/Duodenal Ulcers| | Prostaglandins are substances that are important in helping the gut linings resist corrosive acid damage. NSAIDs cause ulcers by interfering with prostaglandins in the stomach. |
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Inflammation |
 Chronic Inflammation| | Although they are sometimes necessary, long-term use of the more dangerous antiinflammatory drugs, such as prednisone, can cause diabetes, osteoporosis, or even death. |
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Musculo-Skeletal |
Polymyalgia Rheumatica| | An initial daily regimen of low-dose prednisone (6 to 10mg) or nonsteroidal agents may control morning stiffness and pain. In the absence of ocular symptoms, PMR can be treated with maximal doses of NSAIDs. Prednisone (10 to 15mg daily) will give a more prompt therapeutic response, but the toxicity from long-term use at dosages greater than 7.5 mg/day is high. Usually, low-dosage maintenance can be achieved within weeks. Reassessment is mandatory if ocular or other symptoms develop; in such cases, the steroid dosage must be increased. Some patients require a low dosage of steroids for life; others may be weaned from steroids after two to four years. |
Gout / Hyperuricemia| | Medications such as Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), corticosteroids and allopurinol are commonly used against gout. The NSAID that is most widely used to treat acute gout is indomethacin. NSAIDs may also have significant toxicity, but if used for the short-term, are generally well tolerated.
NSAIDs are the treatment of choice for acute attacks of gout in most patients. NSAIDs should be used sparingly in elderly patients and should be avoided in patients with renal disease and peptic ulcer disease, and in those receiving concurrent systemic anticoagulation. Corticosteroids are a valuable treatment option for patients in whom NSAID therapy is contraindicated. Acute gouty arthritis and chronic gout require different treatment strategies. |
Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis| | Indomethacin is frequently more effective than aspirin in treating individuals with pauciarticular arthritis of the lower extremities and ankylosing spondylitis. The recommended dose is 1.5-3mg/kg/day and should not exceed 250mg/day. |
Costochronditis| | Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (e.g. Motrin, Advil) help decrease the pain and the inflammation, which is the primary problem. Check with your doctor before taking NSAIDs as they have potential side-effects. |
 Ochronosis / Alkaptonuria
Osteoarthritis| | NSAIDs (Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs) are commonly used to treat osteoarthritis. Available over the counter or by prescription, they fight inflammation or swelling and relieve pain. Acetaminophen such as Tylenol can also be very effective in treating the pain. Research has shown that in many patients acetaminophen relieves pain as effectively as NSAIDs. These pain killers will only help control the symptoms, and if used at all should only be used for pain control while more effective therapies are at work. The newer COX2 inhibitors will have fewer side effects, but still do not restore normal function. Topical pain-relieving creams, rubs and sprays can be applied directly to the skin. There are many brands available over the counter. |
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Pain |
Low Back Pain| | Use pain medication, if necessary, such as Tylenol, Aleve or another NSAID, such as aspirin. |
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Tumors, Benign |
Colon Polyps| | Aspirin and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) could act to prevent the development of polyps in the colon, which are precursors to most colorectal cancers. In one study, patients who took aspirin or other NSAIDs more than 15 times per month at some time during the five years prior to the study were defined as "regular users"; patients who never took medication more than 15 times per month were defined as "non-users". After accounting for factors such as diet, lifestyle and family medical history, Dr. Sandler found that regular users of aspirin and other NSAIDs were only half as likely to harbor colon polyps as non-users.
"Our study supports the idea that some mechanism in aspirin and other NSAIDs has a protective effect when it comes to colon cancer," said Dr. Sandler. "More significantly, our results indicate that this protective effect occurs early in the process of cancer development, helping us to pinpoint where in the cancer development sequence these drugs might work best." [ Gastroenterology, March 1998] |
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Uro-Genital |
Painful Menstruation (Dysmenorrhea)| | Anti-inflammatories such as Motrin, while useful for the management of acute pain, do little to deal with any underlying causes. |
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NSAIDs can help prevent the following:
KEY | | May do some good | | | Likely to help | | | Highly recommended | | | Reasonably likely to cause problems | | | Avoid absolutely |
GLOSSARY
Acute
An illness or symptom of sudden onset, which generally has a short duration.
Alzheimer's Disease (Alzheimer's)
A progressive disease of the middle-aged and elderly, characterized by loss of function and death of nerve cells in several areas of the brain, leading to loss of mental functions such as memory and learning. Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia.
Anti-inflammatory (Antiinflammatory)
Reducing inflammation by acting on body mechanisms, without directly acting on the cause of inflammation, e.g., glucocorticoids, aspirin.
Arthritis (Arthritic)
Inflammation of a joint, usually accompanied by pain, swelling, and stiffness, and resulting from infection, trauma, degenerative changes, metabolic disturbances, or other causes. It occurs in various forms, such as bacterial arthritis, osteoarthritis, or rheumatoid arthritis. Osteoarthritis, the most common form, is characterized by a gradual loss of cartilage and often an overgrowth of bone at the joints.
Cancer
Refers to the various types of malignant neoplasms that contain cells growing out of control and invading adjacent tissues, which may metastasize to distant tissues.
Chronic (Chronicity)
Usually referring to chronic illness: Illness extending over a long period of time.
Colon (Colonic)
The part of the large intestine that extends to the rectum. The colon takes the contents of the small intestine, moving them to the rectum by contracting.
Colorectal Cancer
A cancerous tumor of the large intestine. It is marked by dark, sticky stools containing blood and a change in bowel habits.
Corticosteroid (Corticosteroids)
Steroid hormone produced by the adrenal cortex.
Gout
A disease characterized by an increased blood uric acid level and sudden onset of episodes of acute arthritis.
Kidneys (Kidney, Renal)
Bean-shaped organs, each about the size of a fist. They are located near the middle of the back, just below the rib cage. The kidneys are sophisticated reprocessing machines, each day handling about 50 gallons of blood to sift out about half a gallon of waste products and extra water. The waste and extra water become urine, which flows to the bladder through tubes called ureters. The actual filtering occurs in tiny units inside the kidneys called nephrons. Every kidney has about a million nephrons. In a nephron, a glomerulus -- which is a tiny blood vessel, or capillary -- intertwines with a tiny urine-collecting tube called a tubule. A complicated chemical exchange takes place, as waste materials and water leave your blood and enter your urinary system. The kidneys recycle chemicals such as sodium, phosphorus, and potassium and thus regulate their levels. Renal: Pertaining to the kidneys.
Kilogram (kg, kgs, Kilogramme, Kilogrammes, Kilograms)
1000 grams, 2.2lbs.
Milligram (mg, Milligrams)
0.001 or a thousandth of a gram.
NSAID (NSAIDs)
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug.
Osteoarthritis (Osteoarthritic)
A condition involving degeneration of cartilage and supporting joint tissue, which results in pain, swelling and reduced mobility, as the cartilage wears away and allows bone to rub against bone.
Osteoporosis
A disease in which bone tissue becomes porous and brittle. The disease primarily affects postmenopausal women.
Over-The-Counter (OTC, Over The Counter)
A drug or medication that can legally be bought without a doctor's prescription being required.
Peptic Ulcer (Duodenal Ulcer, Duodenal Ulcers, Gastric Ulcer, Gastric Ulcers, Peptic Ulcers)
A general term for gastric ulcers (stomach) and duodenal ulcers (duodenum), open sores in the stomach or duodenum caused by digestive juices and stomach acid. Most ulcers are no larger than a pencil eraser, but they can cause tremendous discomfort and pain. They occur most frequently in the 60 to 70 age group, and slightly more often in men than in women. Doctors now know that there are two major causes of ulcers: most often patients are infected with the bacteria Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori); others are regular users of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS), which include common products like aspirin and ibuprofen.
Polyp (Polyps)
A usually nonmalignant growth or tumor protruding from the mucous lining of an organ such as the nose, bladder or intestine, often causing obstruction.
Precursor (Precursors)
A biochemical substance, such as an intermediate compound in a chain of enzymatic reactions, from which a more stable or definitive product is formed.
Prostaglandin (Prostaglandins)
Any of a class of physiologically active substances present in many tissues, with effects such as vasodilation, vasoconstriction, stimulation of the smooth muscles of the bronchus or intestine, uterine stimulation; also involved in pain, inflammation, fever, allergic diarrhea, and dysmenorrhea. A potent hormone -- similar in structure to an unsaturated fatty acid -- that acts in extremely low concentrations on local target organs; first isolated from the prostate.
Steroid (Steroids)
Any of a large number of hormonal substances with a similar basic chemical structure containing a 17-carbon 14-ring system and including the sterols and various hormones and glycosides.
Stomach
A hollow, muscular, J-shaped pouch located in the upper part of the abdomen to the left of the midline. The upper end (fundus) is large and dome-shaped; the area just below the fundus is called the body of the stomach. The fundus and the body are often referred to as the cardiac portion of the stomach. The lower (pyloric) portion curves downward and to the right and includes the antrum and the pylorus. The function of the stomach is to begin digestion by physically breaking down food received from the esophagus. The tissues of the stomach wall are composed of three types of muscle fibers: circular, longitudinal and oblique. These fibers create structural elasticity and contractibility, both of which are needed for digestion. The stomach mucosa contains cells which secrete hydrochloric acid and this in turn activates the other gastric enzymes pepsin and rennin. To protect itself from being destroyed by its own enzymes, the stomach’s mucous lining must constantly regenerate itself.
Topical
Most commonly 'topical application': Administration to the skin.
Last updated: May 11, 2008
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