Pain, pain, go away
Pain is a patient’s most common reason for seeing a physician,” says Dr. Eric Amante at the launch of Clanza recently at the Edsa Shangri-La Hotel.
Pain is a major symptom in many medical conditions and is usually the first signal that something is not right with the body. It interferes with a person’s normal functioning and adversely affects his quality of life. While some types of pain may simply go away in time without need for medication, other types linger or recur too frequently and with such intensity as to become unbearable. There comes a point when the pain is no longer considered simply as a symptom but rather an illness itself.
A certain type of drugs, developed since the 1980s and considered an important part of the pharmaceutical treatment of pain, is what is popularly referred to as NSAIDs or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. These drugs have the effect of analgesics (for pain) and antipyretics (for fever). If given in higher doses, they also manifest anti-inflammatory action. Aspirin belongs to this group, as well as ibuprofen, which is readily available over the counter. Unfortunately, many of these drugs are not without their unwanted side effects.
“The most common side effect of NSAIDs is gastrointestinal (GI),” One Pharma general manager Dr. Carlo Ynion remarks.
Patients who are unable to tolerate NSAIDs usually suffer abdominal pain, diarrhea, heartburn, upset stomach, or even ulcers. Other drugs, such as the so-called COX-2 inhibitors, were subsequently developed to address these concerns. However, while the gastrointestinal side effect was eliminated, other side effects were observed, particularly cardiovascular adverse events.
“COX-2 inhibitors, some of which have been pulled out of the market, have been found to increase the risk of clots in the bloodstream, reduce blood flow through the kidneys, and raise blood pressure, thereby increasing the risk of strokes and heart attacks,” Dr. Ynion explains.
“Clanza is a unique NSAID in that it is an effective pain killer but without the cardiovascular adverse side effect, unlike COX-2 inhibitors,” Dr. Ynion points out.
Clanza, which is manufactured by Korea United Pharm and exclusively distributed in the Philippines by One Pharma, promises immediate relief for those suffering from osteoarthritis, injuries to the muscles or bones, toothaches, and dysmenorrhea.
Aceclofenac is the generic name of Clanza. Discovered in 1983, it was first registered and marketed in
Dr. Chang Hee Suh, an expert in rheumatology from Aiou University School of Medicine in
Clanza is the first aceclofenac on the Philippine market. Dr. Julius Lecciones and a team of four other physicians conducted an extensive study for the Philippine Bureau of Food and Drugs on the efficacy of Clanza. He found that Clanza was remarkably effective in relieving pain and inflammation in majority of the 3,153 Filipino patients who underwent treatment with the drug from seven to 30 days.
Dr. Lecciones notes that their most significant finding was the very low number of patients (0.44 percent) who reported gastric irritation after using Clanza. This number is negligible compared to other NSAIDs, he notes. He rules that the pain-relieving effect of Clanza is equal or even better than most drugs being prescribed in the country at present. Its adverse effects on the stomach are seven times less than other drugs.
Clanza has high efficacy. It has anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties similar to those of traditional NSAIDs. It has a high safety profile. It has less potential to cause gastrointestinal damage, and may have less propensity to cause cardiovascular adverse events. It has high patient compliance. Withdrawal rates due to gastrointestinal events are significantly lower and treatment costs are relatively lower compared to many NSAIDs and COX-2 inhibitors.
“Clanza is your classic relief from pain, only safer,” Dr. Ynion concludes.
