[Non-steroid antirheumatic agents. Criteria for a rational selection]

It becomes more and more difficult for the physician to inform himself, because the number of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs will arise. Therefore some preponderant clinical parameters should be taken into mind as basis of a rational treatment before prescribing a special NSAID. With regard to pharmacological action and therapeutic efficacy there are mentioned strength of antiinflammatory action, corticosteroid sparing effect, protein binding and drug levels in inflamed tissue. Assessment of tolerance should include inhibition of prostaglandin synthesis, occult gastrointestinal blood loss, half-life, route of renal elimination, drug interactions, DNA-repair and DNA-synthesis. Drugs on which published results concerning these parameters are available should be preferably prescribed.