Indometacin is used as an anti-inflammatory drug primarily for acute attacks of rheumatic symptoms. The drug effectively fights pain and inflammation in joints, muscles and fibers. Therefore, doctors prescribe indomethacin especially frequently for arthritis and gout.
What is indomethacin ?
Indometacin is used as an anti-inflammatory drug mainly in acute attacks of rheumatic complaints. Within drug science, indomethacin belongs to the so-called non-steroidal anti-rheumatic drugs (NSAIDs). These are drugs used specifically for rheumatism, gout and related conditions, which inhibit inflammation and relieve rheumatic pain. As an anti-inflammatory, the active ingredient is widely related to acetic acid and consequently acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) or aspirin. The drug was discovered in the 1960s in the USA and has since been officially approved. Available in the form of tablets or suppositories, solution or spray, and gel as a single-ingredient preparation under various trade names, the drug is marketed in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, as well as worldwide. A total of more than seventy indomethacin preparations are known. The drug is available only on prescription, and the treating physician decides on the dosage and dosage form of indomethacin.
Pharmacologic action
Indometacin, as a special anti-inflammatory drug for rheumatic complaints, is free of cortisone and dulls pain without radically suppressing it. At the same time, the drug has an antipyretic and blood-thinning effect. Its effect as a drug consists mainly in effectively blocking and eliminating two enzymes in the body responsible for triggering rheumatic complaints, swelling and inflammation. These enzymes trigger the severe joint pain that occurs, for example, during an attack of gout. When the anti-inflammatory is taken, the inflammation is quickly stopped and the pain is effectively relieved for hours. The drug’s dulling effect sets in immediately after administration and develops its highest effect after about one to two hours. It is administered orally or rectally, intravenously or by external application or spraying. The analgesic effect can last up to eight hours, although rectal administration in the form of suppositories remains effective longer.
Medicinal use and application
Indomethacin is used particularly frequently for rheumatic complaints and severe inflammation and pain of any kind. In particular, the drug is preferred for a violent acute attack of gout. In such a case, the treating physician administers 200 milligrams, while 150 milligrams per day should not be exceeded when taken regularly. The drug is also well suited for treating inflammatory joint complaints such as arthritis and arthrosis. The drug has also proven effective in preventing ossification after hip joint surgery. In addition to the classic rheumatic indications, the drug is used as an anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving agent in a number of other clinical pictures. These include acute severe menstrual pain or severe eye inflammation after surgery. Severely swollen soft tissues after injuries and operations, associated with pain and fever, can also be effectively treated with this drug. In general pain therapy, the drug is also used to combat non-inflammatory pain, especially of a moderate and severe to very severe nature. For example, in fibromyalgia, a chronic insidious pain disease of tendons, muscles and ligaments, one of the most effective therapeutic steps is considered to be treatment with indomethacin.
Risks and side effects
Indometacin is not considered unproblematic when taken continuously, as it can lead to sometimes severe side effects. These include, in severe cases, gastrointestinal complaints up to stomach bleeding and stomach ulcers. These complaints are reduced when switching from tablets to suppositories. Other symptoms include a general lack of concentration, fatigue and sleep disturbances, as well as fatigue and loss of appetite. If taken over a longer period of time, depression, perceptual disturbances and states of confusion may also occur. A change in the central nervous system cannot be ruled out. Allergic reactions up to shock and cardiac arrest as well as painkiller asthma have also been documented.Hardly any side effects have the external application in the form of gel or spray. The drug should not be taken during pregnancy and breastfeeding, in case of bleeding tendency and high blood pressure. In any case, regular monitoring of blood pressure, blood count and liver values is mandatory when taking indomethacin regularly.
