This decision gives patients in the United States an alternative that has been used in millions of patients worldwide for relieving the pain and stiffness associated with the disease. Millions of people are still searching for an effective treatment they can tolerate. Often, arthritis patients try several medications and find they are not effective or cause side effects that make tolerating the medication difficult.
Some patients keep searching, while others simply give up.
Many of these patients cannot be successfully treated with current options, and even the newest choices do not work for everyone. Patients and physicians should remain alert to the earliest signs and symptoms of gastrointestinal bleeding. A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Trials examining the Efficacy and Safety of Meloxicam. Presented at American College of Gastroenterology Annual Meeting, October 18, 1999. Presented at American College of Rheumatology Annual Meeting, November 14, 1999.