Survey Shows Orthopedic Surgeons View OTCs As An Effective Alternative to
Prescription Medications -
For the millions of Americans who
suffer from minor arthritis pain, specialists say an over-the-counter (OTC)
treatment can be an effective alternative to prescription medication.
According to new survey results unveiled today of more than 250 orthopedic
surgeons, 70 percent of those surveyed say they recommend OTCs most often as a
first line treatment option to their patients with minor arthritis pain.
The survey was conducted to measure how recent news about the safety of
pain relievers has affected the way orthopedic surgeons recommend medications
for minor arthritis pain. Orthopedic surgeons are specialists in the
treatment of bone and joint disorders, including arthritis. The survey is a
collaborative effort by colleagues at Florida Hospital, David D. Dore, M.D.,
Medical Director of The Joint Replacement Center at Celebration Health and
James Rippe, M.D. of the hospital's Rippe Lifestyle Institute.
"Given all the recent negative news, I think physicians are being more
cautious about using prescription pain relievers that may increase their
patients' risk for serious health issues," said Dr. Dore. Almost all (90
percent) specialists surveyed report that they have decreased their use of
COX-2 prescription medications and increased their use of OTCs.
A majority of orthopedic surgeons polled named Aleve as the most effective
OTC medication to manage minor arthritis pain. Among this group, 91 percent
named easy dosing with fewer pills as a top reason they believe Aleve to be
the most effective OTC pain medication while 81 percent named long-lasting
relief as a top reason.
"I always tell my patients to start with an OTC medication and the results
of the survey show that most orthopedic surgeons seem to agree," said Dr.
Rippe. "Furthermore, I think you'd find similar results among other
specialists who treat people with arthritis. No matter what their specialty,
doctors are looking for the same thing when recommending pain medication --
efficacy and safety. Over-the-counter pain medications offer both."
Significant Survey Findings
* Nearly all - 82 percent - of orthopedic surgeons polled report that
recent news about pain relievers has had an effect on the way they
recommend pain medication for minor arthritis pain
* Based on experience, 97 percent of orthopedic surgeons surveyed believe
OTCs can be an effective alternative to prescription medication to treat
minor arthritis pain
* Evaluating the efficacy of each product, orthopedic surgeons ranked
their preference for OTCs to treat minor arthritis pain:
-- 58 percent say they prefer Aleve
-- 35 percent say they prefer Advil
-- 7 percent say they prefer Tylenol
About Osteoarthritis
The chronic disability and quality of life impact of osteoarthritis is of
great public health importance. In 2001, 49 million American adults reported
doctor-diagnosed arthritis; 21 million Americans are affected by degenerative
joint disease, commonly known as osteoarthritis. As the U.S. population ages,
this number is likely to increase dramatically. About 80 percent of people
with osteoarthritis report some form of limitation in movement or activities
and the condition is responsible for seven million physician visits per year.
About The Rippe Lifestyle Institute
Founded by James M. Rippe, M.D., The Rippe Lifestyle Institute is one of
the leading research, communication and health promotion organizations in the
world. Through research, publishing and partnering in health promotion and
disease prevention projects, the various divisions and two locations of RLI
are helping empower people to lead healthier lifestyles with the passion,
commitment and performance that have made RLI a leading authority on lifestyle
and health.
About The Joint Replacement Center at Celebration Health
The Joint Replacement Center at Celebration Health is the 2005 recipient
of the prestigious Premier Award for quality in the area of total joint
replacement of the hip and knee. The center specializes in minimally invasive
joint replacement and treatment of patients with osteonecrosis (avascular
necrosis). David D. Dore, M.D. is a board certified fellowship trained
orthopedic surgeon who specializes in adult reconstruction of the hip and
knee. Dr. Dore performs more than three hundred joint replacements annually.
About the National Omnibus Survey
In an effort to further patient education, Drs. Dore and Rippe are working
with Bayer HealthCare's Consumer Care Division to help raise awareness about
safe and effective treatment for minor arthritis pain with OTC medication.
This survey was conducted by Caravan Opinion Research.
These results are based on a telephone survey conducted by Opinion
Research Corporation's CARAVAN survey, June 16 - July 7, 2005, among a sample
of 259 orthopedic surgeons. For results based on the total sample the margin
of error is plus or minus 6 percentage points. For results based on smaller
sub samples, the margin of error is larger.
Rippe Lifestyle Institute
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