Which agent is considered to be the drug of choice for pain control?
There is no conclusive evidence supporting one NSAID over another for analgesia. Frequency of dosing, cost, and side-effect profile should be considered when deciding on a specific NSAID agent for pain control. Following a review of the overall efficacy of the NSAIDs and their potential risk for cardiovascular disease, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Arthritis Panel currently suggests Naprosyn, or Celebrex if there are risk factors that mitigate against the use of Naprosyn, as the preferred agents for the treatment of arthritis pain.