Invariably people suffer from knee pain. The reasons for knee pain can be various, but most often people are prescribed pain relievers. Most pain relievers belong to the class of drugs called Non-Steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs (NSAID). Few do take only paracetamol which is not an NSAID.
Image Courtesy: Flickr -James Buck
Recently we had a second opinion consultation for high blood pressure (BP). She is a 55 year old lady who suffers from severe knee pain on account of osteoarthritis since few years. As the first Orthopedician was not able to relieve her pain, they consulted a second orthopedician, who had put her on Oxaceprol for more than a month. She was also on Piroxicam. She was having giddiness since one month. Six days earlier they had visited their general physician who prescribed her Olemasartan for her high BP. The next day her giddiness symptoms aggravated. At this point, we were consulted.
When we went through the detailed history, we diagnosed that her BP was high because of the two NSAID drugs, that is, Oxaceprol and Piroxicam, for her knee pain. This was preventing the Olemasartan to reduce her BP. We immediately asked her to stop her pain medications (NSAIDS).
She improved significantly within 24 hours. We suspected that her kidneys might have been damaged because of NSAIDS. Blood report indicated elevated creatinine and urea. Luckily, they were just above the upper limit of normal.
Why are reporting this story here?
We have come across many patients who take pain relievers for prolonged duration only to end up having more severe side effects like elevated blood pressure, kidney damage, gastric ulceration.
So if you are suffering from knee pain or if you any one known to you suffers from knee pain and is on chronic NSIADS, get them checked for side effects. People with diabetes need to be 100 times more careful when they take pain relievers.
Be informed, stay healthy!
Recently we had a second opinion consultation for high blood pressure (BP). She is a 55 year old lady who suffers from severe knee pain on account of osteoarthritis since few years. As the first Orthopedician was not able to relieve her pain, they consulted a second orthopedician, who had put her on Oxaceprol for more than a month. She was also on Piroxicam. She was having giddiness since one month. Six days earlier they had visited their general physician who prescribed her Olemasartan for her high BP. The next day her giddiness symptoms aggravated. At this point, we were consulted.
When we went through the detailed history, we diagnosed that her BP was high because of the two NSAID drugs, that is, Oxaceprol and Piroxicam, for her knee pain. This was preventing the Olemasartan to reduce her BP. We immediately asked her to stop her pain medications (NSAIDS).
She improved significantly within 24 hours. We suspected that her kidneys might have been damaged because of NSAIDS. Blood report indicated elevated creatinine and urea. Luckily, they were just above the upper limit of normal.
Why are reporting this story here?
We have come across many patients who take pain relievers for prolonged duration only to end up having more severe side effects like elevated blood pressure, kidney damage, gastric ulceration.
So if you are suffering from knee pain or if you any one known to you suffers from knee pain and is on chronic NSIADS, get them checked for side effects. People with diabetes need to be 100 times more careful when they take pain relievers.
Be informed, stay healthy!
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