kebaldwin
Tue, Jul-24-07, 16:11
Sufferer Beware ; Frequent Use of Anti-inflammatory Pills Can Cause Serious Side Effects
Albuquerque Journal
07-24-07
It's an easy thing to do, reaching for that bottle of ibuprofen when your back gets stiff or your head starts to throb. But if it's becoming a daily habit, it's time to think about alternatives.
"I don't have a problem with occasional use," says Emil Faithe, whose doctorate and career in pharmacy for more than 20 years have led him to become an expert in natural remedies. "By occasional, I mean two or three tablets once a week. People use it because it works. It does relieve pain. But long-term use worsens or causes problems."
Ibuprofen, often sold as Advil or Motrin, belongs to a class of drugs known as non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs. Other over-the-counter drugs in the same class are aspirin, naproxen sodium and ketoprofen. Variations of the drugs that inhibit the body's inflammatory response are also sold by prescription.
About two years ago, Merck, the manufacturer of Vioxx, a prescription non-steroidal anti-inflammatory, pulled it off the U.S. market after scientific studies showed it and its prescription cousins could put some people at increased risk of serious cardiovascular trouble, according to a 2006 bulletin from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Pfizer, the manufacturer of Bextra, a similar drug, also withdrew it from the U.S. market.
At the same time the FDA advised that over-the-counter non- steroidal anti-inflammatory medicine should be taken as directed because taking too much, too often or in the wrong combination could have serious side effects for the cardiovascular system and the gastrointestinal tract.
People older than 60, taking prescription blood thinners or having previous stomach ulcers or other bleeding problems are at increased risk for stomach bleeding from the drugs. People with kidney problems, high blood pressure or heart disease are also at increased risk for kidney damage if they take NSAIDs, according to the FDA.
Use caution
As early as 1999, a Stanford University research group, the Arthritis, Rheumatism and Aging Medical Information System, reported in the New England Journal of Medicine that NSAIDs were responsible for 16,500 deaths and 100,000 hospitalizations each year.
"These are well-respected medical journals, but people don't believe them. They believe the commercials on television," says Dr. Mark Raterink, a physician who works to find nonpharmaceutical solutions for his patients at his office on Indian School and Girard NE.
"A lot of things can relieve the pain of the inflammatory process," he says. "A snort of cocaine, a shot of heroin -- those would stop the pain too. But I'm not going to recommend those to you. Look, maybe if you get hit in the head with a hammer one time you could recover, but if you get hit in the head 100 times, you are going to have permanent damage.
"If I give you an NSAID, I know it's going to hurt you. You may not have a heart attack right away, but down the road you may be more susceptible to a heart attack."
The best solution in the long term is to discover what is causing the inflammation, he says. It could be diet, stress, lifestyle or past or chronic injury. "If you have a sedentary lifestyle, maybe you start getting more exercise. If you eat a lot of transfat or sugary food, maybe you improve your diet. Maybe you stay hydrated all day long to ease your joints. There are many things that can slow down the inflammatory process," Raterink says.
"You really want to listen to your body. You want to know why you have this pain."
If sitting in meetings all day at work makes your back stiff or your head ache, Raterink says a few minutes of stretching is better than reaching for an ibuprofen.
What's behind it?
Faithe says he also helps patients try to uncover the source of their discomfort. "Wouldn't it be better to find out the source of the inflammation?" Faithe asks at his office, New World Wellness, at Constitution and Eubank NE.
"Obviously you can have pain from a broken bone, but other than that most pain is from inflammation. The pain from osteoarthritis is inflammation. A headache is inflammation. If we can reduce the inflammation, we can reduce the pain."
Switching to acetaminophen, often sold as Tylenol, isn't the answer, Faithe adds.
While acetaminophen isn't an antiinflammatory, it is often used for pain and fever. It can damage the liver, especially if taken while drinking three or more alcoholic beverages, according to the FDA's Web site, fda.gov.
Faithe says processed foods, additives and multiple pollutants in the environment make people more sensitive to inflammation than they have been in past generations. Inflammation is a byproduct of the body's auto-immune responses. "The body is trying to protect itself from what is perceived as a threat. The body is fighting itself. Many people are allergic to dairy, wheat and corn. We get them off those and their inflammation goes away. They are astounded at how healthy they begin to feel."
Faithe recommends digestive enzymes, available at most health food stores, that help the body digest carbohydrates, proteins and fats, with a meal and in between meals if inflammation is causing pain.
"If we reduce digestive problems, we reduce inflammation," he says. He also advocates using acidophilus and probiotics. "They crank up the immune system and inhibit inflammation."
Ginger and turmeric reduce inflammation, Faithe and Raterink agree. The herb boswella is also an anti-inflammatory. Glucosamine and fish oil can reduce inflammation as well, they say.
Before trying any new remedy, however, people should check with a professional.
http://www.lef.org/news/LefDailyNews.htm?NewsID=5639&Section=AGING
Albuquerque Journal
07-24-07
It's an easy thing to do, reaching for that bottle of ibuprofen when your back gets stiff or your head starts to throb. But if it's becoming a daily habit, it's time to think about alternatives.
"I don't have a problem with occasional use," says Emil Faithe, whose doctorate and career in pharmacy for more than 20 years have led him to become an expert in natural remedies. "By occasional, I mean two or three tablets once a week. People use it because it works. It does relieve pain. But long-term use worsens or causes problems."
Ibuprofen, often sold as Advil or Motrin, belongs to a class of drugs known as non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs. Other over-the-counter drugs in the same class are aspirin, naproxen sodium and ketoprofen. Variations of the drugs that inhibit the body's inflammatory response are also sold by prescription.
About two years ago, Merck, the manufacturer of Vioxx, a prescription non-steroidal anti-inflammatory, pulled it off the U.S. market after scientific studies showed it and its prescription cousins could put some people at increased risk of serious cardiovascular trouble, according to a 2006 bulletin from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Pfizer, the manufacturer of Bextra, a similar drug, also withdrew it from the U.S. market.
At the same time the FDA advised that over-the-counter non- steroidal anti-inflammatory medicine should be taken as directed because taking too much, too often or in the wrong combination could have serious side effects for the cardiovascular system and the gastrointestinal tract.
People older than 60, taking prescription blood thinners or having previous stomach ulcers or other bleeding problems are at increased risk for stomach bleeding from the drugs. People with kidney problems, high blood pressure or heart disease are also at increased risk for kidney damage if they take NSAIDs, according to the FDA.
Use caution
As early as 1999, a Stanford University research group, the Arthritis, Rheumatism and Aging Medical Information System, reported in the New England Journal of Medicine that NSAIDs were responsible for 16,500 deaths and 100,000 hospitalizations each year.
"These are well-respected medical journals, but people don't believe them. They believe the commercials on television," says Dr. Mark Raterink, a physician who works to find nonpharmaceutical solutions for his patients at his office on Indian School and Girard NE.
"A lot of things can relieve the pain of the inflammatory process," he says. "A snort of cocaine, a shot of heroin -- those would stop the pain too. But I'm not going to recommend those to you. Look, maybe if you get hit in the head with a hammer one time you could recover, but if you get hit in the head 100 times, you are going to have permanent damage.
"If I give you an NSAID, I know it's going to hurt you. You may not have a heart attack right away, but down the road you may be more susceptible to a heart attack."
The best solution in the long term is to discover what is causing the inflammation, he says. It could be diet, stress, lifestyle or past or chronic injury. "If you have a sedentary lifestyle, maybe you start getting more exercise. If you eat a lot of transfat or sugary food, maybe you improve your diet. Maybe you stay hydrated all day long to ease your joints. There are many things that can slow down the inflammatory process," Raterink says.
"You really want to listen to your body. You want to know why you have this pain."
If sitting in meetings all day at work makes your back stiff or your head ache, Raterink says a few minutes of stretching is better than reaching for an ibuprofen.
What's behind it?
Faithe says he also helps patients try to uncover the source of their discomfort. "Wouldn't it be better to find out the source of the inflammation?" Faithe asks at his office, New World Wellness, at Constitution and Eubank NE.
"Obviously you can have pain from a broken bone, but other than that most pain is from inflammation. The pain from osteoarthritis is inflammation. A headache is inflammation. If we can reduce the inflammation, we can reduce the pain."
Switching to acetaminophen, often sold as Tylenol, isn't the answer, Faithe adds.
While acetaminophen isn't an antiinflammatory, it is often used for pain and fever. It can damage the liver, especially if taken while drinking three or more alcoholic beverages, according to the FDA's Web site, fda.gov.
Faithe says processed foods, additives and multiple pollutants in the environment make people more sensitive to inflammation than they have been in past generations. Inflammation is a byproduct of the body's auto-immune responses. "The body is trying to protect itself from what is perceived as a threat. The body is fighting itself. Many people are allergic to dairy, wheat and corn. We get them off those and their inflammation goes away. They are astounded at how healthy they begin to feel."
Faithe recommends digestive enzymes, available at most health food stores, that help the body digest carbohydrates, proteins and fats, with a meal and in between meals if inflammation is causing pain.
"If we reduce digestive problems, we reduce inflammation," he says. He also advocates using acidophilus and probiotics. "They crank up the immune system and inhibit inflammation."
Ginger and turmeric reduce inflammation, Faithe and Raterink agree. The herb boswella is also an anti-inflammatory. Glucosamine and fish oil can reduce inflammation as well, they say.
Before trying any new remedy, however, people should check with a professional.
http://www.lef.org/news/LefDailyNews.htm?NewsID=5639&Section=AGING