The managements for knee osteoarthritis (KO) focus on reducing pain & inflammation, improving function, and, if possible, slowing the disease progression. Although no drug has yet been shown to significantly slow the advance of joint pathology in osteoarthritis, pharmacological treatment remains an integral part of therapy for most patients with KO. This article deals with efficacy & safety profiles and guideline recommendations for multimodal pharmacotherapy for KO management. Oral Treatments Glucosamine sulfate Although there are claims that glucosamine reduces pain and inflammation, the positive effect of glucosamine is still controversial.
Several studies have found no benefit of glucosamine over placebo. Guidelines do not recommend to discontinue this drug if no response is apparent after 6 months of treatment. Acetaminophen Acetaminophen is one of the common first-line…
