Abbreviation NSAIDs - does this tell you anything? If not, we suggest broadening our horizons to find out what these mysterious four letters mean. Read the article and everything will become absolutely clear. We hope that it will be not only informative, but also interesting!
NSAIDs - transcript
We will not torment our readers for a long time in ignorance. NSAIDs are deciphered as non - steroidal anti - inflammatory drugs - drugs today are very popular and popular, because they are able to simultaneously eliminate pain and relieve inflammation in various organs of our body. If until now you have never had a need to take NSAIDs - this can be considered almost a miracle. You are one of the rare lucky ones, but really, you can envy your health!
We are ahead of the next question and immediately tell about the decoding of the word "non-steroidal". This means that these drugs are non-hormonal, i.e. not containing any hormones in its composition. And this is very good, because everyone knows how unpredictable and dangerous hormonal drugs can be.
Most popular NSAIDs
If you think that NSAIDs are drugs whose names are rarely pronounced in everyday life, then you are mistaken. Many people do not even realize how often we have to use non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to cure various ailments that have accompanied the human race since the expulsion of Adam and Eve from paradise. Read the list of such funds, for sure some of them are in your home medicine cabinet. So, NSAIDs include drugs such as:
- "Aspirin".
- Amidopyrine.
- "Analgin."
- Piroxicam.
- Bystrumgel.
- Diclofenac.
- Ketoprofen.
- Indomethacin.
- Ketorol.
- Naproxen.
- Ketorolac.
- "Flurbiprofen".
- "Voltarengel".
- "Nimesil."
- Diclofenac.
- Ibuprofen
- Indopan.
- Ipren.
- "Upsarin UPSA".
- Ketanov.
- Mesulide.
- Movalis.
- Nise.
- Nurofen
- Ortofen.
- "Thrombo ACC".
- Ultrafen.
- Fastum.
- The final gel.
Yes, all these are NSAIDs. The list turned out to be a long one, but, of course, far from complete. And yet, he completely gives an idea of the variety of modern non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
Some historical facts
The first primitive NSAIDs were known to people in ancient times. For example, in Ancient Egypt, willow bark, a natural source of salicylates and one of the first non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, was widely used to get rid of heat and pain. And even in those distant days, healers treated their patients suffering from joint pain and fever with decoctions of myrtle and lemon balm - they also contain salicylic acid.
Chemistry began to develop rapidly in the mid-19th century, which gave impetus to the development of pharmacology. At the same time, the first studies of the compositions of medicinal substances obtained from plant materials began to be conducted. Pure salicin from willow bark was synthesized in 1828 - this was the first step on the road to creating the familiar Aspirin for all of us.
But there will be many more years of scientific research before this medicine is born. A grand event happened in 1899. Doctors and their patients quickly appreciated the benefits of the new drug. In 1925, when a terrible flu epidemic hit Europe, Aspirin became a savior for a huge number of people. And in 1950, this non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug got into the Guinness Book of Records as an anesthetic with the highest sales volume. Well, later, other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) were also created by pharmacists.
What diseases do non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs use?
The range of NSAIDs is very wide. They are very effective in the treatment of both acute and chronic diseases, accompanied by pain and inflammation. Today, studies are under way to study the effectiveness of these drugs in the treatment of heart and vascular diseases. And almost everyone knows that they can be used for pain in the spine (NSAIDs for osteochondrosis are a real salvation).
Here is a list of painful conditions in which the use of various non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs is indicated:
- Fever.
- Headaches, migraines.
- Renal colic.
- Rheumatoid arthritis.
- Gout.
- Arthrosis.
- Osteoarthritis.
- Dysmenorrhea.
- Inflammatory arthropathies (psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, Reiter's syndrome).
- Postoperative pain.
- Mild to moderate pain syndrome with injuries and various inflammatory changes.
Classification of NSAIDs by their chemical structure
Reading this article, you already had the opportunity to make sure that there are a lot of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. To navigate among them at least a little better, let's take a classification of these funds. First of all, they can be divided as follows: the group - acids and the NSAID group - non-acid derivatives.
The first include:
- Salicylates (you can immediately remember about “Aspirin”).
- Derivatives of phenylacetic acid (Aceclofenac, Diclofenac, etc.).
- Pyrazolidines (metamizole sodium, known to most of us as "Analgin", "Phenylbutazone, etc.).
- Oksikamy ("Tenoxicam", "Meloxicam", "Pyroxicam", "Tenoxicam").
- Derivatives of indoleacetic acid (Sulindak, Indomethacin, etc.).
- Derivatives of propionic acid (Ibuprofen, etc.).
The second group is:
- Derivatives of sulfonamide ("Celecoxib", "Nimesulide", "Rofecoxib").
- Alkanones ("Nabumeton").
Classification of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs by their effectiveness
The use of NSAIDs in osteochondrosis and in the treatment of other joint diseases can literally work wonders. But, unfortunately, not all drugs are the same in their effectiveness. Unconditional leaders among them are:
- Diclofenac.
- Ketoprofen.
- Indomethacin.
- "Flurbiprofen".
- Ibuprofen and some other drugs.
The listed medicines can be called basic; that is, on their basis, new NSAIDs can be developed and entered into the pharmacy network, but under a different changed name and often at a higher price. In order not to waste your money, study the next chapter as follows. The information contained in it will help you not to make a mistake with the choice.
What to look for when choosing a medicine
NSAIDs are, for the most part, excellent modern drugs, but when you come to the pharmacy it is better to be aware of some of the nuances. Which ones? But read it!
For example, you have to choose what is best to buy: Diclofenac, Ortofen or Voltaren. And you are trying to ask the pharmacist which of these drugs is better. Most likely, you will be advised by the one that is more expensive. But the fact is that the composition of the listed drugs is almost identical. And the difference in names is explained by the fact that they are produced by different companies, which is why trademarks are different from each other. The same can be said, for example, of Metindol and Indomethacin or Ibuprofen and Brufen, etc.
To understand the confusion, always look carefully at the packaging, because the main active ingredient of the drug must be indicated there. Only it will be written, most likely, in small letters.
But that is not all. Rather, not everything is so simple! The use of an NSAID analogue of some medicine you are familiar with may unexpectedly cause an allergic reaction or side effects that you have never seen before. What is the matter here? The reason may lie in additional additives, of which, of course, nothing was written on the package. So, we must also study the instructions.
Another possible reason for the different result of the analog drugs is the difference in dosage. Ignorant people often do not pay any attention to it, but in vain. After all, small tablets may contain a "horse" dose of the active substance. Conversely, pills or capsules of enormous size happen to be made up of 90 percent excipients.
Sometimes drugs are also available in retarded form, i.e., as long-acting (prolonged) medicines. An important feature of such drugs is the ability to be absorbed gradually, so that their effect can last for a whole day. Such a drug does not need to be drunk 3 or 4 times a day, a single dose will suffice. This feature of the drug should be indicated on the package or directly in the name. For example, Voltaren in a prolonged form is called Voltaren Retard.
List of analogues of known drugs
We publish this small cheat sheet in the hope that it will help you better navigate the many beautiful pharmacy packaging. Suppose you immediately need effective NSAIDs for arthrosis to relieve excruciating pain. Take out the cheat sheet and read the following list:
- The analogues of Diclofenac, in addition to the already mentioned Voltaren and Ortofen, are also Diclofen, Dicloran, Diclonac, Rapten, Diclobene, Arthrosan, Naklofen.
- “Indomethacin” is sold under such brands as “Indomine”, “Indotard”, “Metindol”, “Revmatin”, “Indobene”, “Inteban”.
- Analogues of Piroxicam: Erason, Pyrox, Roxicam, Pyrocam.
- Analogs of Ketoprofen: Flexen, Profenid, Ketonal, Arthrosilen, Knavon.
- The popular and inexpensive "Ibuprofen" is available as part of such drugs as "Nurofen", "Reumafen", "Brufen", "Bolinet."
Rules for taking NSAIDs
NSAIDs may be accompanied by a number of side effects, therefore, it is recommended that you observe the following rules when taking them:
1. Familiarization with the instructions and following the recommendations contained in it are mandatory!
2. When ingesting capsules or tablets, drink them with a glass of water - this will protect your stomach. You must adhere to this rule, even if you drink the most modern drugs (which are considered safer), because extra precaution will never hurt;
3. Do not go to bed after taking the drug for about half an hour. The fact is that gravity will contribute to a better passage of the capsule down the esophagus;
4. It is better to refuse alcoholic beverages, since the combined NSAIDs and alcohol are an explosive mixture that can cause various diseases of the stomach.
5. One day you should not take two different non-steroidal drugs - this will not increase the positive result, but, most likely, summarizes the side effects.
6. If the medicine does not help, consult your doctor, maybe you have been assigned a too small dose.
Side effects and non-steroid gastropathy
Now you have to find out what NSAIDs are gastropathy. Unfortunately, all NSAIDs have significant side effects. Especially negatively they affect the gastrointestinal tract. Patients may be disturbed by symptoms such as
- Nausea (sometimes very severe).
- Heartburn.
- Vomiting
- Dyspepsia.
- Gastrointestinal bleeding.
- Diarrhea.
- Duodenal ulcer and stomach.
All of the above troubles are NSAID gastropathy. Therefore, doctors so often try to prescribe the lowest possible doses of classic non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to their patients. To minimize the harmful effects on the stomach and intestines, it is recommended that you never take such drugs on an empty stomach, and only do this after a heavy meal.
But problems with the digestive system are not all the side effects that some of the NSAIDs can give. Certain drugs can affect the heart as well as the kidneys. Sometimes their intake may be accompanied by headache and dizziness. Another serious nuisance - they have a devastating effect on intraarticular cartilage (of course, only with prolonged use). Fortunately, NSAIDs of a new generation are on sale today, which are largely exempted from these shortcomings.
Next-generation non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
In the past two decades, several pharmaceutical companies have been intensively developing new modern NSAIDs, which, along with the effective elimination of pain and inflammation, would have as few side effects as possible. The efforts of the pharmacists were successful - a whole group of new-generation drugs, called selective, was developed.
Imagine - these drugs under the supervision of a doctor can drink very long courses. Moreover, the terms can be measured not only by weeks and months, but even by years. Medicines from this group do not have a destructive effect on articular cartilage, side effects give much less often and practically do not cause complications.
New generation NSAIDs are medicines such as:
- Movalis.
- “Nise” (aka “Nimulid”).
- "Arcoxia."
- Celebrex
We will talk about some of their advantages using the example of Movalis. It is available both in traditional tablets (7.5 and 15 mg each), and in 15 mg suppositories, and in glass ampoules for intramuscular administration (also 15 mg each). This medicine acts very gently, but at the same time extremely effective: for the whole day just one tablet is enough. When the patient is shown long-term treatment for severe arthrosis of the hip or knee joints, Movalis is simply irreplaceable.
Different forms in which NSAIDs are produced
Most popular non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can be purchased and used not only in the form of tablets and capsules for oral administration, but also in ointments, gels, suppositories and in injection solutions. And this, of course, is very good, since such a variety makes it possible in some cases to avoid harm during treatment while simultaneously obtaining a faster healing effect.
So, NSAIDs of a new generation, with arthrosis used as injections, have much less effect on the gastrointestinal tract. But there is a flip side to this coin: when administered intramuscularly, almost all non-steroidal drugs are capable of causing a complication - necrosis of muscle tissue. That is why NSAID injections are never practiced for a long time.
In general, injections are prescribed for exacerbation of inflammatory and degenerative diseases of the joints and spine, accompanied by severe unbearable pain. After the patient's condition improves, it becomes possible to switch to tablets and external funds in the form of ointments.
Usually, doctors combine different dosage forms, deciding what and when can bring the patient the greatest benefit. The conclusion suggests itself: if you do not want to harm yourself by self-treatment of such common ailments as osteochondrosis or arthrosis, contact a medical institution for help, that is where they can help you.
Can I use NSAIDs during pregnancy?
Doctors categorically do not recommend taking NSAIDs for pregnant women (especially this ban applies to the third trimester), as well as mothers who are breastfeeding. It is believed that the drugs of this group can adversely affect the bearing of the fetus and cause various malformations in it.
According to some reports, such an innocuous medicine, according to many, as "Aspirin", can increase the risk of miscarriage in the early stages. But sometimes doctors, according to indications, prescribe this drug to women (in a limited course and in minimal doses). In each case, the decision should be made by a medical specialist.
During pregnancy, women often have a backache and there is a need to solve this problem with the help of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs as the most effective and fastest. In this case, the use of Voltaren gel is acceptable. But - again - its independent use is possible only in the first and second trimester, in the later stages of pregnancy, the use of this powerful drug is allowed only under the supervision of a doctor.
Conclusion
We told you what we ourselves knew about NSAIDs. Deciphering the abbreviation, classification of drugs, the rules for their administration, information about side effects - this can be useful in life. But we want our readers to need drugs as little as possible. Therefore, in parting, we wish you good good health!