Interaction between anti-hypertensive and non-steroidal anti inflammatory drugs: implications in management of osteoarthritis and opinion on a compromise therapy

The premise for this article is that a significant proportion of patients presenting in the clinic with osteoarthritis have hypertension as co-morbidity. A common drug of choice in managing symptoms of osteoarthritis including those affecting the knee joint is the Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDS) groups. It has been reported however that NSAIDs diminish the effects of anti-hypertensive drugs and may lead to an ineffective hypertension therapy. In order to avoid complications in the health of the patient with concomitant hypertension and osteoarthritis and who are on both antihypertensive and NSAIDs, it becomes imperative to consider using non-pharmacologic approaches such as physiotherapy in managing the symptoms of osteoarthritis in this group of patients and thereby maximizing the effects of their antihypertensive therapy. This is more so that information exists on efficacy of physiotherapy in form of therapeutic exercises and electrotherapeutic modalities in management of clinical features of osteoarthritis.