The
popular
and
heavily
advertised
arthritis
drugs
Vioxx
and
Celebrex
have
been
linked
by
researchers
to
an
increase
in
the
risk
of
blood
clots,
heart
attacks
and
strokes.
The
study
from
the
Cleveland
Clinic
appeared
in
the
Journal
of
the
American
Medical
Association
and
was
based
on
an
analysis
of
previous
clinical
trials.
Celebrex
and
Vioxx
are
projected
to
produce
U.S.
sales
greater
than
$6
billion
this
year...If
you
Have
Been
Injured
by
Celebrex,
Click
Here
for
a
Free
Celebrex
Case
Evaluation.
In a
study
of
more
than
8,000
patients
that
compared
the
COX-2
inhibitor
rofecoxib
(Vioxx)
with
the
traditional
NSAID
naproxen,
the
risk
of
cardiovascular
problems,
including
heart
attack,
chest
pain
related
to
heart
disease,
stroke,
sudden
death
and
blood
clots,
was
more
than
two
times
higher
in
the
rofecoxib
group
than
in
the
naproxen
group.
Vioxx
and
Celebrex
are
classified
as
and
known
as
COX-2
inhibitors,
or
coxibs.
COX-2
inhibitors,
like
older
drugs
such
as
ibuprofen
and
naproxen,
are
nonsteroidal
anti-inflammatory
drugs,
or
NSAIDs.
Older
NSAIDs
reduce
inflammation
by
blocking
an
enzyme
called
COX-2,
but
they
also
block
another
enzyme
called
COX-1.
This
enzyme
helps
protect
the
lining
of
the
stomach,
so
blocking
COX-2
can
cause
stomach
irritation.
COX-2
inhibitors
only
block
COX-2,
leaving
the
stomach-protecting
COX-1
alone.
The
annual
rates
of
heart
attack
in
both
the
Celebrex
(celecoxib)
and
Vioxx
(rofecoxib)
studies
were
increased
compared
to a
review
of
studies
containing
a
total
of
more
than
48,000
patients.
In
those
studies,
0.52%
of
patients
taking
an
inactive
placebo
pill
had
a
heart
attack
each
year.
The
annual
rate
of
heart
attack
was
0.74%
for
patients
taking
rofecoxib
and
0.80%
for
those
taking
celecoxib.
Click
Here
for
a
Free
Celebrex
Case
Evaluation. |
|
|
|