[Coxibs: highly selective cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors. Part I. Clinical efficacy]

Slow, time-dependent, irreversible, highly selective inhibitors of COX-2 (coxibs) have been used for the treatment of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, as well as other disease entities such as acute pain, fever, neoplastic changes, and Alzheimer's disease, the pathomechanism of which is dependent on the coexisting inflammatory process or overexpression of cyclo-oxygenase (COX) genes. The article presents current state of knowledge about the clinical efficacy of coxibs (celecoxib, rofecoxib) compared to non-selective COX inhibitors. The physiology and pathophysiology of both COX isoforms (COX-1, COX-2) are also discussed.