Modern view on the effectiveness and safety of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs

Abstract

Issues of the effectiveness and safety of drugs continue to be relevant and controversial. The benefits and risks of drug therapy are two facets of one whole, called pharmacotherapy, and can turn out to be an undesirable side and even outweigh the benefits with a large negative value. The effectiveness and safety of drugs requires serious study also because it becomes possible to discover new effects of drugs and reveal new mechanisms for unregistered indications and, at the same time, a deep understanding of adverse drug reactions will allow more correct prescribing of drugs and proper medical supervision of therapy. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are over-the-counter drugs and are perceived by a wide range of patients as safe drugs that do not require a doctor’s prescription, which can cause dangerous drug reactions, especially when used uncontrollably. The review presents literature data from studies of the effectiveness of NSAIDs and current data on new therapeutic effects of individual drugs, as well as the risks of adverse reactions, their mechanisms and methods of correction.