Abstract

MORGADO, I. et al. Guide for the clinical management of osteoarthritis of the hip and the knee. Rev. Soc. Esp. Dolor [online]. 2005, vol.12, n.5, pp.289-302. ISSN 1134-8046.

Guides of clinical practice can help to take evidence-based and patient-focused decisions. However, these must not be understood as strict rules, but as recommendations based on clinical effectiveness studies. The physician is in the best position to decide between the different therapeutic options available for each individual patient. These guides are based on the updated review of the medical literature, combined with the opinion of experts in the relevant field. Different guides have been published recently for the management of osteoarthritis of the hip and the knee that help the physician to decide the best treatment for the patients with such condition. Despite being based on the same evidences, recommendations issued by different work groups are in disagreement. This work has aimed to review the current clinical management of osteoarthritis of the hip and the knee, as well as to identify its optimum approach according to the evidence-based medicine.

Keywords : Osteoarthritis of the hip and the knee; Guides of clinical practice; Analgesia; Physical and educational therapy; Paracetamol; Non steroid anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs); Selective inhibitors of the cyclooxigenase-2 (COX-2); Chondroprotective drugs.

        · abstract in Spanish     · text in Spanish     · Spanish ( pdf )