Pain Relief: How NSAIDs Work
Pain Relief: How NSAIDs Work
NSAIDs are among the most common pain relievers in the world. And lately, they're among the most controversial. Find out what these anti-inflammatory pills actually do inside your body.
Cox-2 Inhibitors are a type of NSAID, and generally they work in similar ways. They are no better or worse at relieving pain. They have most of the same risks.
But there is a vital difference. Cox-2 inhibitors were specifically designed to avoid the gastrointestinal problems common to other NSAIDs.
Most NSAIDs affect levels of both Cox-1 and Cox-2 enzymes. Cox-2 inhibitors only block the Cox-2 enzyme. So these drugs don't affect the prostaglandins that protect the lining of your GI tract. Cox-2 inhibitors offer the same pain relief as standard NSAIDs, but a much lower risk of gastrointestinal problems.
In a normal body, the levels of Cox-1 and Cox-2 enzymes are naturally in balance. When you block one but not the other, unexpected things can happen.
It turns out that the Cox-1 enzymes also help make a chemical that encourages blood clotting and tightens the arteries. Normally, these nasty effects are kept in check by another chemical called prostacyclin. But prostacyclin is made, in part, with the help of Cox-2 enzymes -- the enzymes that drugs like Celebrex block.
Blocking only Cox-2 upsets the balance of these enzymes. Levels of prostacyclin go down, the influence of Cox-1 goes unchecked, and your risk of heart attacks and strokes goes up.
This is why Cox-2 inhibitors have been linked to an increased risk of heart attacks and strokes. The dangers were considered so high for the drug Vioxx that it was taken off the market. Bextra, another Cox-2 inhibitor, was also removed from the market partly because of the same risk.
Pain Relief: How NSAIDs Work
NSAIDs are among the most common pain relievers in the world. And lately, they're among the most controversial. Find out what these anti-inflammatory pills actually do inside your body.
How Are Cox-2 inhibitors Like Celebrex Different?
Cox-2 Inhibitors are a type of NSAID, and generally they work in similar ways. They are no better or worse at relieving pain. They have most of the same risks.
But there is a vital difference. Cox-2 inhibitors were specifically designed to avoid the gastrointestinal problems common to other NSAIDs.
Most NSAIDs affect levels of both Cox-1 and Cox-2 enzymes. Cox-2 inhibitors only block the Cox-2 enzyme. So these drugs don't affect the prostaglandins that protect the lining of your GI tract. Cox-2 inhibitors offer the same pain relief as standard NSAIDs, but a much lower risk of gastrointestinal problems.
What Are the Risks of Cox-2 Inhibitors?
In a normal body, the levels of Cox-1 and Cox-2 enzymes are naturally in balance. When you block one but not the other, unexpected things can happen.
It turns out that the Cox-1 enzymes also help make a chemical that encourages blood clotting and tightens the arteries. Normally, these nasty effects are kept in check by another chemical called prostacyclin. But prostacyclin is made, in part, with the help of Cox-2 enzymes -- the enzymes that drugs like Celebrex block.
Blocking only Cox-2 upsets the balance of these enzymes. Levels of prostacyclin go down, the influence of Cox-1 goes unchecked, and your risk of heart attacks and strokes goes up.
This is why Cox-2 inhibitors have been linked to an increased risk of heart attacks and strokes. The dangers were considered so high for the drug Vioxx that it was taken off the market. Bextra, another Cox-2 inhibitor, was also removed from the market partly because of the same risk.
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