title: Cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors: promise or peril?
abstract: The discovery of two isoforms of the cyclooxygenase enzyme, COX-1 and COX-2, and the development of COX-2-specific inhibitors as anti-inflammatories and analgesics have offered great promise that the therapeutic benefits of NSAIDs could be optimized through inhibition of COX-2, while minimizing their adverse side effect profile associated with inhibition of COX-1. While COX-2 specific inhibitors have proven to be efficacious in a variety of inflammatory conditions, exposure of large numbers of patients to these drugs in postmarketing studies have uncovered potential safety concerns that raise questions about the benefit/risk ratio of COX-2-specific NSAIDs compared to conventional NSAIDs. This article reviews the efficacy and safety profiles of COX-2-specific inhibitors, comparing them with conventional NSDAIDs.
authors.affiliation: The Camden Group, 19 Oak Park Drive, St. Louis, MO 63141, USA.
authors.forename: Laurel J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Mengle-Gaw
authors.forename: Benjamin D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Schwartz
mesh_terms: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D051545:Cyclooxygenase 1; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; D052246:Cyclooxygenase 2 Inhibitors; D016861:Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D011451:Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D052246:Cyclooxygenase 2 Inhibitors; D016861:Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors; D007527:Isoenzymes; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D051545:Cyclooxygenase 1; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; C496511:PTGS1 protein, human; C496540:PTGS2 protein, human; D011451:Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases