A. The rheumatologist first put me on a nonsteroid anti-inflammatory drug, which was effective.

He also said it was unlikely that "a healthy person would get short of breath" from taking a nonsteroid anti-inflammatory.

Findings show that other nonsteroid asthma drugs may cause irritability, depression, and even suicidal ideation or completion.

They include requests for baseball policies on all performance-enhancing drugs since 1970 and for the identities of all players suspended for nonsteroid drug violations since 1990.

Fluid retention is a known complication of nonsteroid anti-inflammatory drugs, and Mr. Cheney faced additional risks because of his chronic coronary heart disease.

Such medicines may include corticosteroids (such as prednisone) and nonsteroid drugs such as azathioprine, cyclophosphamide, mycophenolate, sirolimus, or tacrolimus.

While Seton Cunneen and her mother are oohing and aahing over organic fruits and vegetables and nonsteroid meats, they pass two other women scanning the aisles.

Many patients who seek doctors' help have already tried nonsteroid anti-inflammatory drugs, conventional opiates like codeine and even surgery, yet they are still in severe pain from cancer, degenerative arthritis, nerve damage or other conditions.

Also approved last week were SmithKline Beecham's Relafen, a nonsteroid arthritis treatment; Bristol-Myers Squibb's Cefzil, an antibiotic, and Johnson & Johnson's Supprelin to treat premature puberty in young children.

Speaking of heart patients in general and not of Mr. Cheney's case, Dr. Robert O. Bonow, chief of cardiology at Northwestern University in Chicago, said doctors and patients were cautioned not to use a nonsteroid anti-inflammatory without considering a risk of fluid retention.