Is Arcoxia stronger than ibuprofen?
Ibuprofen and Arcoxia are both classified as Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). NSAIDs are medications used to reduce and relieve pain. In other words, NSAIDs are painkillers. There are two types of NSAIDs.They are the non-selective COX inhibitors and selective COX 2 inhibitors. COX stands for cyclooxygenase and this enzyme plays a vital role in the human body. COX 2 responsible for pain, fever, and inflammation, while COX 1 responsible for protecting the stomach lining and stoppage of bleeding. Ibuprofen is the non-selective COX inhibitor, while Arcoxia is a selective COX 2 inhibitor. This means that ibuprofen will not only reduce pain, inflammation, and fever, but also will interfere with blood clot production and impair the protective mechanism of the stomach lining. Arcoxia is more specific in reducing pain, fever, or inflammation.
The use of non-selective NSAIDs like ibuprofen will increase the risk of developing a gastric ulcer. Arcoxia is stronger or more effective than ibuprofen because it is a newer generation of NSAIDs with a longer half-life. This means that Arcoxia stays longer in the human body (up to 22 hours) and ensures a longer effect of pain reduction in contrast to ibuprofen which stays only for 2 hours in the human body. Simple analgesics or painkillers like NSAIDs and paracetamol are the first-line medications used to relieve pain. In regards to the World Health Organization (WHO) pain management ladder, pain is classified into mild, moderate, and severe. Severe pain will need the combination of simple analgesics, opioids containing painkillers, and additional pain relievers.
Ibuprofen is used to treat conditions like:
- Fever
- Osteoarthritis
- Painful menses
- Rheumatoid arthritis
The conditions that can be treated with Arcoxia are:
- Acute pain
- Osteoarthritis
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Ankylosing spondylitis
- Gout
- Dental procedures (minor)
- Painful menses (physiological)
Arcoxia is a brand name for a medication that contains an active ingredient known as Etoricoxib. Ibuprofen is the name of the active ingredient which is comparable to etoricoxib. Rheumatoid arthritis is a multiple joint inflammation disease with unknown etiology. Other diseases that may mimic rheumatoid arthritis are:
- Viral polyarthritis
- Lyme polyarthritis
- Psoriatic arthritis
- Osteoarthritis
- Crystalline arthritis
- Polymyalgia rheumatica
Nonpharmacological treatments for rheumatoid arthritis are:
- Rest
- Exercise
- Physical therapy
- Occupational therapy
- Nutritional counseling
The pharmacological treatments are:
- NSAIDs
- Steroids
- Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs)
Osteoarthritis is the main form of joint inflammation. The main features are joint pain and limitation of joint movement due to pain. There are three stages of pain in osteoarthritis. The stages are:
1- Sharp pain that limits high impact activities
2- Constant pain that affects the daily routines. May or may not associate with stiffness
3- Constant dull pain with severe joint limitations
Osteoarthritis may involve single or multiple joints. Osteoarthritis is diagnosed clinically with the aid of imaging. The non-pharmacological therapy for osteoarthritis are:
- Exercises (strength and aerobic)
- Weight reduction (at least 10 percent of body weight)
- Walking aids or knee braces
The use of Arcoxia in pregnancy is not recommended as animal studies have shown to cause reproductive toxicity. Animal studies also showed that the medication is released into the breast milk, hence, the decision to stop lactation or to stop the medication in the lactating mother will be decided by your physician. Arcoxia should be stored at 30-degree Celsius and freeform moisture and sunlight.
Ibuprofen should be used with caution in:
- Patients with cardiovascular risk factors
- Bleeding disorders
- Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
- Patients with liver or kidney disease
- Pregnant lady
- Lactating mother
The side effects of Arcoxia are:
- Fatigue
- Dizziness
- Lower limb edema
- Nausea
- Headache
- Heartburn
The side effects of ibuprofen are:
- Edema
- Hypertension
- Hyperkalaemia
- Anemia
- Blurred vision
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Heartburn
The use of ibuprofen with other NSAIDs will increase the risk of gastric ulceration, bleeding, and perforation. Advice from a physician is required before you start taking painkillers like NSAIDs. Always remember that self-treating may cause more harm than good.
