Safety and efficacy of paracetamol and NSAIDs in osteoarthritis: which drug to recommend?

Introduction: Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis and is a major cause of disability, especially in people ≥ 45 years old. Several international societies recommend the use of both acetaminophen and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to alleviate OA pain. However, patients with OA often have comorbidities, notably cardiovascular risk factors, which may hamper the use of these analgesics.Areas covered: This paper reviews the safety of both acetaminophen and NSAIDs in OA. Recent data have pointed to a gastrointestinal and cardiovascular toxicity of acetaminophen, which has been neglected for a long time. In addition, several meta-analyses revealed that acetaminophen is a poor analgesic in OA. Traditional NSAIDs and cyclooxygenase 2 inhibitors (coxibs) have similar analgesic effects but vary greatly in their potential gastrointestinal and cardiovascular toxicity.Expert opinion: Given the putative gastrointestinal and cardiovascular toxicity and poor analgesic properties of ac...