Actions and toxicity of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs

Use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) continues to be an important therapeutic intervention throughout the world for patients with pain and inflammation. The six major classes of NSAIDs (including the salicylates) bear the common property of inhibiting cyclooxygenase, the enzyme that catalyzes the synthesis of cyclic endoperoxides from arachidonic acid to yield prostaglandins. Anecdotal evidence has accumulated that the nonacetylated salicylates are as efficacious as the other NSAIDs, but there have been few controlled trials demonstrating that they are reasonable anti-inflammatory agents. This paper discusses the newest of the available clinical observations that nonacetylated salicylates are as efficacious as one of the newer NSAIDs in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Because the nonacetylated salicylates are weak prostaglandin inhibitors, several other non-prostaglandin mediated mechanisms of action for the NSAIDs have been postulated and are described in this paper. In addition to papers describing NSAID effects on cartilage, this year several interesting papers described further effects of tenidap, a novel NSAID presently in development. Other papers reviewed attempts to develop NSAIDs with less severe gastrointestinal effects. Some reports discuss the use of topical NSAIDs, which are not clearly better than oral preparations. Data are also reviewed demonstrating that misoprostol effectively decreased significant poor gastrointestinal outcomes in patients who were treated with this NSAID for 6 months. New treatment regimens for decreasing misoprostol-induced toxicity are also reviewed. Finally, the effects of NSAID prophylaxis in preventing heterotopic bone formation in patients with osteoarthritis who undergo hip replacement surgery are noted.