The side effect involved a decrease in hemoglobin for almost 7 percent of patients, presumably due to occult GI bleeding, compared with 0.9 percent of those receiving acetaminophen alone, according to the study, in the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases.
Current recommendations favor acetaminophen for the treatment of osteoarthritis, mainly due to fewer gastrointestinal adverse effects than nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, but NSAIDs are generally thought to be more effective pain relievers.
Read the MedPage Today report on ibuprofen with acetaminophen for knee pain.
Read an extract from the study in the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases.
Related Articles on NSAIDS:
FDA Approves Safety Strategy for Cephalon Pain Drugs
Study: NSAIDs for Pain Bring Risks to Heart Patients
Use of NSAIDs Should be Determined Before Interpreting Capsule Endoscopy Findings
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