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Vioxx Heart Disease

Vioxx was voluntarily recalled on September 30, 2004 when an internal study revealed a causal relationship between Vioxx and heart disease and stroke risks. Vioxx is a COX-2 selective non-steroidal anti-inflammatory pain prescription medication that was approved by the FDA in 1999. Vioxx was approved to treat the severe pain associated with rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, and primary dsymennorhea (menstrual cramps). Over 20 million prescriptions of Vioxx were sold in the United States alone before this drug was pulled off the market.

Warnings about the potential connection between Vioxx and heart disease began as early as 2000 when Vioxx use was shown to carry a greater risk of heart attack and stoke than another NSAID called naproxen. The link between Vioxx and heart disease was finally acted upon after a clinical trial conducted by Merck, the maker's of Vioxx.

This three year study that began in 2000 was designed to test the effects of Vioxx on the colon. The APPROVe study was stopped short when researchers discovered that patients who had been taking Vioxx for over eighteen months had a greater Vioxx and heart disease risk. Patients in this group were two times more likely to suffer heart disease or stroke than were patients taking a placebo.

The link between Vioxx and heart disease was also discovered through other studies. The FDA found that patients taking more than twenty five milligrams of Vioxx a day were three times as likely to suffer from heart problems as were people in the general population. A study based on over 25,000 Kaiser medical group records discovered that heart disease risks were much greater for patients taking Vioxx than the heart or stoke risks for patients taking a similar pain medication called Celebrex.

There are a variety of symptoms that a patient can suffer from Vioxx and heart disease. The symptoms of Vioxx and heart disease can include a number of adverse health problems. One of the first signs of Vioxx and heart disease might be extreme fatigue. Vioxx and heart disease can also cause shortness of breath, heart palpitations, and chest pain. Vioxx and heart disease can cause a patient to suffer from cyanosis, or bluish discoloration of the skin and mucous membranes. Vioxx and heart disease may also cause fainting episodes or swelling of bodily tissues particularly in the legs and ankles.

If you have taken Vioxx and subsequently experienced any of these physical manifestations of Vioxx and heart disease, you should seek medical attention. In addition to Vioxx and heart disease risks, Vioxx can also cause other thromboembolic events such as stroke. There are several alternative treatments that can help ease the pain associated with arthritis, menstrual cramps, and other forms of chronic pain that do not have the same Vioxx and heart disease risks. Your doctor can discuss with you these alternatives and may find one that is right for you. If you have been injured as a result of Vioxx and heart disease, you may wish to contact an attorney who can advise you of your legal rights and options in a case to recover what you have lost as a result of this defective medication.

For more information on Vioxx heart disease, please contact us.

More Vioxx Resources

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

Vioxx.com - Official Vioxx Roxecofib site from Merck.

Vioxx Drug Warnings - Vioxx side effects information including lawsuit information and vioxx warnings.

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