[Comparative safety of traditional non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and COX-2 selective inhibitors].

SIDE EFFECTS OF NON-STEROIDAL ANTI-INFLAMMATORY DRUGS: Digestive disorders and skin and mucosal reactions, more rarely neurosensorial, renovascular, gyneco-obstetrical and hematological disorders are the main side effects of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. DIGESTIVE USEFULNESS OF COXIBS: Coxibs reduce the risk of symptomatic complicated or uncomplicated gastroduodenal ulcers by 1 to 1.5 per 100 patient-years compared with conventional NSAID. They do however induce a similar number of dyspeptic disorders and are contraindicated in case of inflammatory bowel disease. Extra-digestive tolerance is comparable with that for classical NSAID. PLATELET AGGREGATION AND THROMBOSIS: If the patient's vascular status requires an anti-platelet agent, aspirin must be combined with the coxib which in itself cannot provide cardiovascular protection.