Arthritis patients taking prescriptions experience best outcomes

Rheumatoid arthritis patients who take non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) tend to have poorer outcomes than individuals who take prescription medications largely because NSAID users are less likely to follow their doctor's instructions, according to a new study.

Researchers presented evidence at the recent meeting of the International Society for Pharmacoeconomic and Outcomes Research indicating that 34 percent of NSAID users do not follow guidelines for use. By comparison, less than 15 percent of prescription drug users fail to follow instructions.

Additionally, the team's results indicated that NSAID users tend to have poorer treatment outcomes than patients using prescription drugs.

"The differences in adherence and, therefore, health outcomes between NSAID and disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug users suggests that NSAID users are trying to manage their rheumatoid arthritis symptoms occasionally rather than viewing rheumatoid arthritis as a condition that needs to be managed on an ongoing basis," said lead researcher Dr. Amir Goren.

The findings suggest that arthritis patients may benefit from talking to their doctor about a prescription to buy Celebrex. This may lead to the best possible treatment outcomes.