NSAIDs are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicines. NSAIDs are commonly used to treat pain from arthritisNSAIDs are commonly used to treat pain from arthritis. These medicines can thin the blood and increase the risk of bleeding, and therefore it is recommended to stop them approximately 2 weeks prior to knee replacement surgeryknee replacement surgery. There are some specific exceptions to this guideline. Some surgeons will advise their patients to take Celebrex® around the time of surgery. Celebrex® has been found in some studies to reduce post-operative pain scores.

If you take Coumadin®, Pradaxa®, Lovenox®, Aggrenox®, Plavix®, or Xarelto® discuss this with your physician. You should stop taking herbal medicines and fish oils prior to surgery as they can thin the blood as well.

Here is a list of NSAIDs (with trade names in parenthesis). This list may not be inclusive of all NSAIDs: