Celebrex Joins Vioxx: Painkiller Doubles Heart Attack Risk
Merck's Vioxx was withdrawn from the market after studies had established that the drug not only was combating pain but was horrendously increasing the risk of heart attacks for those taking it. Dr. Garret FitzGerald, a University of Pennsylvania cardiologist, had led the studies which found and documented the side effect. According to a 2004 AP article, at the time, FitzGerald commented:
"I've been concerned all along, I believe this is a class effect," not just a problem with Vioxx, he said.Cawkwell of Pfizer called his contention "an interesting theory," but said, "there is no evidence" of increased risk of heart problems among the 75 million Americans who have taken Celebrex.
Celebrex is the 10th most popular drug in the United States, with annual sales of $2.7 billion, up 5 percent in a year, according to IMS Health, a company that tracks drug industry trends.
'No evidence of increased risk of heart problems' is of course not the same as no risk, but it is good enough to keep the dogs at bay ... until the next study results, that is. In fact, after a more recent review of existing studies, comments Dr Mercola, "Celebrex officially joined fellow COX-2 inhibitor Vioxx among the ranks of lethal pain relievers today after researchers found, not surprisingly, celecoxib more than doubled a patient's risk of heart attack."
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When compared to a placebo, continues Mercola, Celebrex elevated one's risk of heart attack by 2.26 times, based on an analysis of six studies including some 13,000 patients. And, in contrasting Celebrex to ibuprofen, the comparative risks of heart attack dropped only slightly (1.88).
Cox-2 inhibitors, such as Vioxx and Celebrex, are part of a class of drugs called NSAIDs or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. The FDA requires warnings on the packaging of those drugs that allude to the higher risk. My question is: Who in their right minds would continue to use such a drug, even if their statistical likelihood of having a heart attack were low. Why tempt fate by doubling that likelihood?
The study can be found on the site of the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, (or in print in Vol. 99 No. 3, March 2006: 132-140)
Links to other articles:Study: Pfizer's Celebrex raises heart attack risks
Study Examines Celebrex and Heart Attacks
Study: Vioxx poses even short-term risks
A Montreal study raises questions about even short-term use of the pain drug Vioxx and may harm Merck & Co.'s defense against 11,500 lawsuits, a report said. The study, published Tuesday in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, said people 65 and older are at the greatest risk of suffering a heart attack within 6-13 days of their first ingestion of Vioxx. The McGill University study also found elderly patients' heart attack risk did not increase the longer they took the drug, which Merck pulled off the world market in 2004. A key element of Merck's defense has been that it took 18 months or longer for the heart attack risk to increase...
posted by Sepp Hasslberger on Thursday March 2 2006
updated on Thursday December 2 2010URL of this article:
http://www.newmediaexplorer.org/sepp/2006/03/02/celebrex_joins_vioxx_painkiller_doubles_heart_attack_risk.htm
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