Etoricoxib
Arcoxia is the only etoricoxib product on this shelf, a selective COX-2 inhibitor for Osteoarthritis, Rheumatoid Arthritis and acute gouty arthritis. It comes in 60 mg, 90 mg and 120 mg film-coated tablets.
Key points
- Etoricoxib is a selective COX-2 inhibitor NSAID, and the decision to prescribe it should weigh your overall cardiovascular risk profile.
- It is not suitable if you have established ischaemic heart disease, peripheral arterial disease or cerebrovascular disease, active peptic ulceration, or uncontrolled hypertension above 140/90 mmHg.
- COX-2 selective inhibitors lack antiplatelet effect, so etoricoxib is not a substitute for aspirin in cardiovascular thrombo-embolic prophylaxis.
How does etoricoxib work?
Etoricoxib sits in the Pain & Anti-inflammatories range and blocks cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), an enzyme that produces prostaglandins, the chemical messengers driving pain, swelling and fever at sites of inflammation. Selective COX-2 inhibition reduces those signals while having less effect on the COX-1 pathway. The trade-off is that COX-2 also contributes to maintaining the balance of chemicals that protect blood vessels, which is why cardiovascular risk is the central safety consideration with this medicine.