Meloxicam
Meloxicam is a representative of the most popular class of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. NSAIDs today have firmly established themselves at the top of the pharmacological charts in terms of frequency of prescription by doctors and sales volumes from pharmacies. And this is absolutely justified: they allow you to achieve the desired therapeutic effect in the shortest possible time - and this is exactly what both patients and doctors themselves expect from the drug. The mechanism of action of NSAIDs is associated with the suppression of the activity of cyclooxygenase, or, as it is abbreviated in the specialized literature, COX. For reference: this is an enzyme that promotes the reproduction of prostaglandins, mediators of pain and inflammation. There are (in any case, their presence has been established for certain) two forms of COX. COX-1 saturates most organs and tissues and is in a constantly activated form. It is involved in the synthesis of normal, “non-extreme” prostaglandins, which regulate the normal routine functioning of cells, expressed in the formation of gastrointestinal mucus, suppression of the secretion of hydrochloric acid in the stomach, influence on platelet aggregation, blood supply to the kidneys and other completely ordinary, but necessary processes for the body. Another thing is COX-2: this enzyme is activated only in response to any anti-inflammatory stimuli. That is why it is believed that the unwanted side effects of NSAIDs on the digestive tract and kidneys are associated with the suppression of COX-1, and the therapeutically significant anti-inflammatory effect is associated with the inhibition of COX-2.
The effect of early generations of NSAIDs could be compared to carpet bombing: they indiscriminately “turned off” both COX-1 and COX-2. In contrast, meloxicam is a selective COX-2 inhibitor, which avoids negative reactions with a compatible or higher therapeutic effect compared to the same diclofenac or naproxen. The main purpose of meloxicam is to suppress pain and inflammatory reactions in osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, although the drug can be used to relieve pain of other origins.
Today in Russian pharmacies you can find three dosage forms of meloxicam: tablets, solution for intramuscular administration and rectal suppositories. The tablets are taken orally once a day with meals. For osteoarthritis, the recommended (also maximum) daily dose for all forms of the drug is 15 mg, for rheumatoid arthritis - 7.5 mg. Injections are made only intramuscularly, observing the required injection depth. The suppositories are inserted as deep as possible into the anus. If the patient has an increased risk of developing negative side effects, then the daily dose should be halved.
