title: Practice guidelines in the management of osteoarthritis.
abstract: Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common articular rheumatic disease. Practice guidelines have been developed to assist the practitioner in the care of patients with hip and knee OA. The guidelines divide the treatment strategy into nonpharmacologic and pharmacologic modalities. The nonpharmacologic or nonmedicinal approaches include patient education, psychosocial interventions, physical and surgical measures. Each of these are as important as the pharmacologic or medicinal measures. Medicinal measures can be subdivided into symptomatic therapy and disease modifying therapy. Even though all present therapies are aimed at symptoms, experimental therapies are being developed to alter the disease process.
authors.affiliation: University of Miami, Florida, USA.
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Altman
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Lozada
mesh_terms: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018771:Arthralgia / Q000517:prevention & control; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007719:Knee Joint; D008297:Male; D010003:Osteoarthritis / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D015207:Osteoarthritis, Hip / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D015431:Weight Loss
chemical_list: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal