Before we discuss drug therapy for osteoarthritis it must be emphasized that till date no pharmacologic agent has been shown to prevent, delay the progression or, or reverse the pathologic changes of Osteoarthritis in humans. Therefore the treatment is palliative only.
There are range of medications that are used in osteoarthritis and most comon among them are pain killers.
Although Non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or NSAIDs as they are popularly known as are the major group of pain killers used in osteoarthritis.
Patients with Osteoarthritis may obtain symptomatic benefit from an NSAID. Most of patients report 15 to 30% improvement in their functions.
NSAIDS should be used cautiously. They are not without side effects. Side effects are mainly on gastro intenstinal system and kidneys.
The segment of the population at greatest risk for Osteoarthritis, the elderly, appears also to be a greater risk than younger individuals for gastrointestinal symptoms, ulceration, hemorrhage, and death as a result of NSAID use. T
Systemic glucocorticoids have no place in the treatment of Osteoarthritis.
Intra or periarticular injection of a depot glucocorticoid preparation may provide marked symptomatic relief for weeks to months.
Glucocorticoids may produce cartilage damage, and frequent injections of large amounts of steroids may cause joint breakdown in humans. Therefore the injection should generally not be repeated in a given joint more, often than every 4 to 6 months.
Capsaicin cream, which depletes local sensory nerve endings of substance and neuropeptide mediator of pain, may reduce joint pain and tenderness when applied topically by patients with hand or knee systemic analgesics.
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