Ambulantná terapia 3-4/2007

EFFECTIVITY AND SAFETY OF COXIBS

Coxibs are specific inhibitors of cyclooxygenases-2, which have analgetic and antiflogistic effect comparable to non-selective non-steroidal antiflogistics and have detectably lower incidence of gastrointestinal adverse effects. In rheumatology they are indicated mainly for patients with rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis, with history of endoscopically verified gastroduodenal ulcers in the last five years, or they are simultaneously treated with glucocorticoids, or anticoagulants. Because of the risk of cardiovascular adverse effects coxibs are contraindicated in patients with ischemic heart disease and stroke. More studies these days confirmed, that there is also incidence of cardiovascular and renal adverse effects by non-selective non-steroidal antiflogistics. The degree of cardiovascular toxicity among the specific coxibs and non-selective non-steroidal antiflogistics differs.

Keywords: non-steroidal antiflogistics,coxibs, COX-2 inhibitors, gastrointestinal adverse effects and cardiovascular adverse effects