Cox-2 (or Cox-II) inhibitors are a relatively new family of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS). Scientific studies have associated Cox-2 inhibitors with an increased risk of cardiovascular events such as heart attack and stroke.
All NSAIDs (even the newer ones like Vioxx and Bextra) can cause irritation, ulceration, bleeding, and perforation of the lining of the stomach and blood clotting.
Merck's aggressive promotional campaign quickly boosted Vioxx into the top twenty US drugs. It has been among the drugs most heavily advertised to doctors and patients alike.
Vioxx doubled consumers' risk of heart attacks and strokes. It was abruptly pulled from the world market. Days later, the Wall Street Journal reported on an analysis never made public by a safety official at the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The study, examining data on 1.4 million Kaiser Permanente members, drew a link with Cox-2 inhibitors and more than 27,000 heart attacks and sudden cardiac deaths.
Bextra has been associated with heart attack, stroke, and Stevens Johnson Syndrome. Recent reports show that Bextra may be more likely to cause heart attacks and stroke than Vioxx. Bextra has also been recalled.
Bextra is a Cox-2 inhibitor marketed by Pharmacia Corporation and Pfizer Inc. in the United States. The drug is prescribed for the treatment of osteoarthritis, adult rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and the pain associated with menstrual cramping.
Celebrex, the only remaining Cox-2 inhibitor on the market, was recently required to carry the most serious warning allowed under FDA regulations.
