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Celebrex and Heart Attacks

Celebrex and heart attacks has become the subject of significant concern across the nation and the world. On December 17, 2004 Pfizer, the makers of Celebrex, announced that a clinical trial indicates that higher doses of Celebrex increases a patient's risk of developing serious cardiovascular side effects such as heart attack and stroke. These Celebrex and heart attacks risk findings were discovered during a National Cancer Institute study designed to test Celebrex's efficiency at preventing cancer. Celebrex and heart attacks risk was 3.4 times greater for patients taking 800 milligrams and 2.5 times greater for patients taking 400 milligrams versus the control group.

Celebrex was approved by the Food and Drug administration in 1999 to treat the severe pain associated with osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and primary dysmenorrhea. Celebrex sales total almost three billion dollars each year. Prescribed to more than 27 million people in the United States alone, Celebrex is one of the most popular drugs prescribed to treat arthritis pain.

Celebrex is a COX-2 selective non-steroidal anti inflammatory drug (NSAID), a group of drugs that has been under scrutiny ever since the Vioxx recall. Vioxx, a COX-2 selective NSAID was pulled from the shelves in September 2004 after clinical trials indicated that people taking this drug were twice as likely to suffer heart attack or stroke as the general population. Speculation about Celebrex and heart attacks grew as the cardiovascular safety of all COX-2 drugs came into question. In three separate statements issued by Pfizer following the Vioxx recall, the company stated that there was no link between Celebrex and heart attacks.

The possible link between Celebrex and heart attacks has been the subject of concern in medical circles ever since the drug was first made available. Three months after Celebrex was first approved, The Wall Street Journal published an article regarding the risks of Celebrex and heart attacks. This story linked ten deaths and eleven other cases of serious gastrointestinal complications to Celebrex use. Of the ten deaths, two were caused by heart attacks, five by gastrointestinal hemorrhaging, one by kidney complications, one by drug interaction problems, and the other was unknown. Though these deaths were never officially blamed on Celebrex use, the report raised serious questions about the link between Celebrex and heart attacks and other complications.

Pfizer coupled their Celebrex and heart attacks announcement with statements indicating that the company plans to investigate these risks but does not plan on pulling Celebrex off the market. FDA officials are advising doctors to prescribe alternative drugs to treat arthritis and other forms of pain. The National Institutes of Health has ordered the review of over 40 agency supported Celebrex studies. If you are currently taking Celebrex and are concerned about the link between Celebrex and heart attacks risks, you should speak to your doctor before making any changes to your treatment. There are effective alternative treatments available to replace Celebrex treatment.

If you have been injured as a result of Celebrex and heart attacks or related risks, please contact us to speak with a lawyer for more information on Celebrex dangers.

More Celebrex Resources

MedLine Plus Drug Information - Guide to prescription and over-the-counter medications provided by the United States Pharmacopeia.

Celebrex - A source of information about relief from arthritis pain including Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid Arthritis.

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