September 13, 2006
A new study offers more evidence highlighting the already known cardiac dangers associated with the notorious painkiller Vioxx but also adding kidney problems as a potential health threat.
Researchers at Harvard Medical School analyzed 114 studies involving approximately 116,000 patients and found that Vioxx “was associated with increased renal and (heart) arrhythmia risks.”
Merck, the maker of Vioxx , withdrew the drug from the market in 2004 after an extensive, long-term study showed it doubled the risk of a serious cardiac event – particularly heart attack and stroke – after 18 months of use.
However, several more recent studies have confirmed that Vioxx increases the risk of heart attack as early as two to four weeks after use. An article based on the Harvard analysis was published in this week’s issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association .
More than 11,000 product liability lawsuits have been filed against Merck, each of which the company plans to defend on an individual basis.
Injured by Vioxx? Please contact us today for a free consultation with an experienced product liability attorney who can evaluate your case and help you determine a course of action.
