From the Research
Comparison of Meloxicam and Aleve (Naproxen)
- Meloxicam has been shown to be significantly more effective than placebo and comparable in efficacy to standard NSAIDs such as naproxen in patients with osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis 1.
- Meloxicam has a better safety profile than naproxen, with significantly fewer gastrointestinal (GI) side effects, including perforations, ulcerations, and bleedings 1, 2, 3.
- A double-blind trial comparing meloxicam 7.5 mg daily and naproxen 750 mg daily in patients with rheumatoid arthritis found that meloxicam was better tolerated in the GI tract, with fewer GI adverse events and no ulcers 2.
- Meloxicam has been shown to have a lower incidence of GI and renal side effects compared to naproxen, with a significant decrease in haemoglobin and a significant increase in serum creatinine and urea in the naproxen group 2.
- Clinical trials have demonstrated that meloxicam is as effective as naproxen as an anti-inflammatory and analgesic, but with fewer GI adverse effects 3, 4.
- The COX-2 preferential activity of meloxicam is expected to result in lower GI toxicity compared to COX-2 nonselective NSAIDs like naproxen 4.