Painkillers Damage Intestine, U.S. Expert Says

[Guest guest]

Painkillers Damage Intestine, U.S. Expert Says

2005-01-04

 

---

-----------

 

More than 70 percent of patients who took painkillers such as

ibuprofen for more than three months suffered damage to their small

intestines, U.S. researchers reported on Monday.

 

The study is yet another blow to patients trying to find ways to

treat arthritis pain, after reports that the most advanced drugs,

called COX-2 inhibitors, can raise the risk of heart death.

 

Dr. David Y. Graham of the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston and

colleagues studied 21 patients taking a range of drugs called non-

steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDS. They compared them to

20 patients taking acetaminophen, an unrelated painkiller, or

nothing.

 

" Small-bowel injury was seen in 71 percent of NSAID users compared

with 10 percent of controls, " they wrote in Monday's issue of the

journal Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.

 

" We have always known that NSAIDs can cause potentially deadly

stomach complications, but the extent of the impact on the small

intestine was largely unknown until now, " Graham added.

 

Arthritis pain is incurable but can be treated with a range of

drugs, including NSAIDS such as aspirin, ibuprofen or naproxen;

acetaminophen; or the newer drugs called COX-2 inhibitors. NSAIDS

work very well but damage the stomach and intestine. They are blamed

for 16,500 deaths a year in the United States alone, Graham said.

 

BENEFIT VS. RISK

 

" Anybody who takes aspirin or (other) NSAIDS for a year has a 1 to 4

percent risk of serious gastrointestinal complications, " Graham said

in a telephone interview.

 

" If the drugs didn't have such benefits, we'd have taken them off

the market some time ago. "

 

Acetaminophen, sold generically and also under the brand name

Tylenol, does not work for many patients, Graham said.

 

The COX-2s were designed specifically to overcome the deadly side

effects of NSAIDS. But a series of studies has linked them to heart

disease and one, Merck and Co. Inc.'s Vioxx, was pulled from the

market in September.

 

In December the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued an advisory

telling doctors to limit their prescribing of other COX-2s,

including Pfizer's Celebrex and Bextra.

 

And a study published in December indicated that an over-the-counter

NSAID called naproxen might also raise the risk of heart attack and

stroke.

 

Graham's team used an endoscope in the form of a swallowed camera in

a capsule to examine the intestines of their volunteers. Although

people taking NSAIDs frequently suffer stomach pain or anemia, none

of the volunteers in this study had any symptoms.

 

" We saw some ulcers and we saw lots of erosions, " Graham said.

 

Some experts have recommended using antacid drugs called proton pump

inhibitors (PPI) to reduce the damaging effects of stomach acid in

NSAID patients. But PPIs do not affect the small intestine, Graham

said.

 

Instead, he said, an older drug called misoprostol can help protect

the stomach lining.

 

" It is the only drug approved to reduce the rate of bleeding, "

Graham said.

 

A U.S. government study published last month found that acupuncture

can help to further relieve arthritis pain in the knee in patients

getting more standard treatment.

 

The American Gastroenterological Association estimates that more

than 30 million Americans take over-the-counter or prescription

drugs for headaches and arthritis.

[Guest guest]

i take 4 ultrams a day and 4 ibuprofen a day for severe TMJ pain what is a

person to do

Frank

 

 

-

chrisgaren555

Thursday, January 06, 2005 4:56 AM

Painkillers Damage Intestine, U.S.

Expert Says

 

 

 

 

Painkillers Damage Intestine, U.S. Expert Says

2005-01-04

 

---

-----------

 

More than 70 percent of patients who took painkillers such as

ibuprofen for more than three months suffered damage to their small

intestines, U.S. researchers reported on Monday.

 

The study is yet another blow to patients trying to find ways to

treat arthritis pain, after reports that the most advanced drugs,

called COX-2 inhibitors, can raise the risk of heart death.

 

Dr. David Y. Graham of the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston and

colleagues studied 21 patients taking a range of drugs called non-

steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDS. They compared them to

20 patients taking acetaminophen, an unrelated painkiller, or

nothing.

 

" Small-bowel injury was seen in 71 percent of NSAID users compared

with 10 percent of controls, " they wrote in Monday's issue of the

journal Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.

 

" We have always known that NSAIDs can cause potentially deadly

stomach complications, but the extent of the impact on the small

intestine was largely unknown until now, " Graham added.

 

Arthritis pain is incurable but can be treated with a range of

drugs, including NSAIDS such as aspirin, ibuprofen or naproxen;

acetaminophen; or the newer drugs called COX-2 inhibitors. NSAIDS

work very well but damage the stomach and intestine. They are blamed

for 16,500 deaths a year in the United States alone, Graham said.

 

BENEFIT VS. RISK

 

" Anybody who takes aspirin or (other) NSAIDS for a year has a 1 to 4

percent risk of serious gastrointestinal complications, " Graham said

in a telephone interview.

 

" If the drugs didn't have such benefits, we'd have taken them off

the market some time ago. "

 

Acetaminophen, sold generically and also under the brand name

Tylenol, does not work for many patients, Graham said.

 

The COX-2s were designed specifically to overcome the deadly side

effects of NSAIDS. But a series of studies has linked them to heart

disease and one, Merck and Co. Inc.'s Vioxx, was pulled from the

market in September.

 

In December the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued an advisory

telling doctors to limit their prescribing of other COX-2s,

including Pfizer's Celebrex and Bextra.

 

And a study published in December indicated that an over-the-counter

NSAID called naproxen might also raise the risk of heart attack and

stroke.

 

Graham's team used an endoscope in the form of a swallowed camera in

a capsule to examine the intestines of their volunteers. Although

people taking NSAIDs frequently suffer stomach pain or anemia, none

of the volunteers in this study had any symptoms.

 

" We saw some ulcers and we saw lots of erosions, " Graham said.

 

Some experts have recommended using antacid drugs called proton pump

inhibitors (PPI) to reduce the damaging effects of stomach acid in

NSAID patients. But PPIs do not affect the small intestine, Graham

said.

 

Instead, he said, an older drug called misoprostol can help protect

the stomach lining.

 

" It is the only drug approved to reduce the rate of bleeding, "

Graham said.

 

A U.S. government study published last month found that acupuncture

can help to further relieve arthritis pain in the knee in patients

getting more standard treatment.

 

The American Gastroenterological Association estimates that more

than 30 million Americans take over-the-counter or prescription

drugs for headaches and arthritis.

[Guest guest]

Chiropractic adjustments can help TMJ , calcium/magnesium tablets help

reduce pain some what. ng

 

 

 

-

" FrankT " <shepchapmo

 

Friday, January 07, 2005 1:03 AM

Re: Painkillers Damage Intestine, U.S.

Expert Says

 

 

>

>

> i take 4 ultrams a day and 4 ibuprofen a day for severe TMJ pain what is

a person to do

> Frank

>

>

> -

> chrisgaren555

>

> Thursday, January 06, 2005 4:56 AM

> Painkillers Damage Intestine, U.S.

Expert Says

>

>

>

>

> Painkillers Damage Intestine, U.S. Expert Says

> 2005-01-04

>

> ---

> -----------

>

> More than 70 percent of patients who took painkillers such as

> ibuprofen for more than three months suffered damage to their small

> intestines, U.S. researchers reported on Monday.

>

> The study is yet another blow to patients trying to find ways to

> treat arthritis pain, after reports that the most advanced drugs,

> called COX-2 inhibitors, can raise the risk of heart death.

>

> Dr. David Y. Graham of the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston and

> colleagues studied 21 patients taking a range of drugs called non-

> steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDS. They compared them to

> 20 patients taking acetaminophen, an unrelated painkiller, or

> nothing.

>

> " Small-bowel injury was seen in 71 percent of NSAID users compared

> with 10 percent of controls, " they wrote in Monday's issue of the

> journal Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.

>

> " We have always known that NSAIDs can cause potentially deadly

> stomach complications, but the extent of the impact on the small

> intestine was largely unknown until now, " Graham added.

>

> Arthritis pain is incurable but can be treated with a range of

> drugs, including NSAIDS such as aspirin, ibuprofen or naproxen;

> acetaminophen; or the newer drugs called COX-2 inhibitors. NSAIDS

> work very well but damage the stomach and intestine. They are blamed

> for 16,500 deaths a year in the United States alone, Graham said.

>

> BENEFIT VS. RISK

>

> " Anybody who takes aspirin or (other) NSAIDS for a year has a 1 to 4

> percent risk of serious gastrointestinal complications, " Graham said

> in a telephone interview.

>

> " If the drugs didn't have such benefits, we'd have taken them off

> the market some time ago. "

>

> Acetaminophen, sold generically and also under the brand name

> Tylenol, does not work for many patients, Graham said.

>

> The COX-2s were designed specifically to overcome the deadly side

> effects of NSAIDS. But a series of studies has linked them to heart

> disease and one, Merck and Co. Inc.'s Vioxx, was pulled from the

> market in September.

>

> In December the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued an advisory

> telling doctors to limit their prescribing of other COX-2s,

> including Pfizer's Celebrex and Bextra.

>

> And a study published in December indicated that an over-the-counter

> NSAID called naproxen might also raise the risk of heart attack and

> stroke.

>

> Graham's team used an endoscope in the form of a swallowed camera in

> a capsule to examine the intestines of their volunteers. Although

> people taking NSAIDs frequently suffer stomach pain or anemia, none

> of the volunteers in this study had any symptoms.

>

> " We saw some ulcers and we saw lots of erosions, " Graham said.

>

> Some experts have recommended using antacid drugs called proton pump

> inhibitors (PPI) to reduce the damaging effects of stomach acid in

> NSAID patients. But PPIs do not affect the small intestine, Graham

> said.

>

> Instead, he said, an older drug called misoprostol can help protect

> the stomach lining.

>

> " It is the only drug approved to reduce the rate of bleeding, "

> Graham said.

>

> A U.S. government study published last month found that acupuncture

> can help to further relieve arthritis pain in the knee in patients

> getting more standard treatment.

>

> The American Gastroenterological Association estimates that more

> than 30 million Americans take over-the-counter or prescription

> drugs for headaches and arthritis.