Targeted Disease Management

Osteoarthritis

Arthritis is the most common cause of disability in the United States, limiting the activities of nearly 19 million adults. Osteoarthritis, the most common form of the disease, is characterized by the degeneration of cartilage and its underlying bone within a joint as well as bony overgrowth. The breakdown of these tissues eventually leads to pain and joint stiffness. The joints most commonly affected are the knees, hips, and those in the hands and spine. In the presence of disease or injury the requirements for nutritional components are altered. Pain disorders are associated with a relative deficiency of arginine, glutamate, tryptophan, and omega-3 fatty acids which are needed for synthesis of increased amounts of nitric oxide, GABA (gamma-amino butyric acid), serotonin, and precursors of anti-inflammatory prostaglandins. Joint disorders are associated with an increased need for chondroitin sulfate and glucosamine. Pain that accompanies joint disorders is also associated with sensitivity to changes in levels of circulating GABA.

The specific symptoms of osteoarthritis include:

• pain
• swelling
• stiffness

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) are frequently used to mitigate the symptoms associated with osteoarthritis, especially among patient populations 60 years of age and older. The adverse side-effects of NSAIDs are numerous and often costly, ranging from mild adverse gastrointestinal events such as dyspepsia, heartburn, nausea or vomiting to rash, oedema, renal insufficiency, and liver function abnormalities. Physician Therapeutics' medical food products provide a therapeutic option for patients who want to manage osteoarthritis without the harmful side effects associated with NSAIDs by addressing the increased nutritional requirements associated with pain and joint disorders.