Continuum of Care

When you diagnosis your patient's OA of the knee, they likely have experienced discomfort for a period of time. They may have attempted to self-medicate with ice packs, heating pads, exercise, weight loss, acetaminophenAcetaminophen
A drug used to relieve pain and fever, acupuncture, massage and herbal supplements.

As OA of the knee progresses, prescription medications such as NSAIDsNSAIDs
A nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug such as ibuprofen, COX-2 InhibitorsCOX-2 Inhibitors
Any of a class of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to relieve the pain and inflammation of arthritis and thought to minimize gastrointestinal side effects and intraarticular corticosteroid injections may be appropriate next course of therapy choices. Due to contraindications, co-morbidities or adverse events, COX-2 Inhibitors and/or NSAIDs may or may not be a good choice for your patients.

These treatments may have provided relief to date but may no longer seem effective for your patient due to their disease state progression. A next-step consideration in the Continuum of Care for Knee OsteoarthritisOsteoarthritis
Arthritis typically with onset during middle or old age that is characterized by degenerative (gradual deterioration of joint) and sometimes abnormal growth in the bone and cartilage of one or more joints and a progressive wearing down of opposing joint surfaces with consequent distortion of joint position and is marked symptomatically especially by pain, swelling, and stiffness; abbreviation (OA) is Hyaluronic AcidHyaluronic Acid
A substance injected into a knee with osteoarthritis. Serves to restore lubrication and shock absorbing capabilities that have been depleted due to the disease of osteoarthritis. Injections, such as ORTHOVISC®.

Consider the recommendations by the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons and the American College of Rheumatology regarding viscosupplementation injections.^1,2  Both societies place viscosupplementation injections early in the treatment paradigm.^1,2  Viscosupplementation injections are recommended before and during non-selective NSAID and COX-2 Inhibitors therapy and when those therapies are contraindicatedContraindicated
To make a treatment or procedure inadvisable, ineffective or cause Adverse Events.^1,2

ORTHOVISC® can be a choice as an early and conservative treatment for OA of the knee for your patients in which other osteoarthritic therapies are not clinically appropriate.