Sports cream and arthritic rubs: the hidden dangers of unrecognized salicylate toxicity.

I am a clinical nurse specialist in a busy family practice with many elderly patients experiencing osteoarthritis. During an evaluation for the management of long-term pain, a patient stated that he would not use a sports cream since he had heard on the news that someone had died as a result of use. What are the risks and toxicity associated with the use of these pain-relieving products?