title: Pharmacological therapies for the treatment of osteoarthritis.
abstract: Non-pharmacological interventions are the first-line therapy for osteoarthritis. If non-pharmacological therapy fails, paracetamol (up to 4 g daily) should be added. If paracetamol fails, the patient's risk factors for gastrointestinal and renal disease should be assessed. In patients with gastrointestinal risk factors, a COX-2-specific inhibitor (CSI) would be used in preference to a conventional non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). In patients with renal risk factors, NSAIDs and CSIs should be used with care. In patients who continue to have problems, other treatments should be considered; these might include intra-articular hyaluronan or depot corticosteroid, analgesia or glucosamine.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Rheumatic Diseases, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, VIC. g.mccoll@medicine.unimelb.edu.au
authors.forename: G J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: McColl
mesh_terms: D000082:Acetaminophen / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018712:Analgesics, Non-Narcotic / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001168:Arthritis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000068579:Celecoxib; D016861:Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007783:Lactones / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011720:Pyrazoles; D013449:Sulfonamides / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013450:Sulfones
chemical_list: D018712:Analgesics, Non-Narcotic; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D016861:Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors; D007783:Lactones; D011720:Pyrazoles; D013449:Sulfonamides; D013450:Sulfones; C116926:rofecoxib; D000082:Acetaminophen; D000068579:Celecoxib