With Celebrex, Heart, Stroke Potential Increased

Whenever drugs are developed one of the prime considerations are their potential to have undesirable side effects. While most pharmaceuticals may have some side effects, they are often weighed against the good the drug can do for an individual patient. Weighing the pros and cons for each individual helps provide a decision by the patient and their doctor. However, sometimes a drug hits that market with little known about lingering effects and it wasn t until it was on the market that it was found that with celebrex, heart and stroke potential were vastly increased in some patients.

Originally developed as a COX-2 inhibitor to control inflammation and pain for arthritis patients, one of the negative side effects of using celebrex, heart and stroke were not fully understood or disclosed. It was the lack of disclosure that has led to a series of lawsuits against the drugs maker of another COX-2 inhibitor, Vioxx and its removal from the market in 2004. Since that, makers of celebrex were encouraged to include the possibility of heart attack and stroke as a side effect of its use.

The Food and Drug Administration has determined that the benefits of the drug outweigh the potential risks, provided patients are properly selected by their doctor and they have sufficient warning about the possible connection between celebrex, heart and stroke problems.

Additional Side Effects Not Quite As Severe

When Vioxx was pulled from the market, it was also shown to cause problems with the gastrointestinal track, possibly causing ulcers or exacerbating existing ones. Similar issues have been noted with celebrex, but the effects are said to be lower allowing the company to post additional warnings on its label instead of mandating a recall. Because of the pain relief offered to arthritis sufferers with celebrex, heart and stroke candidates often overlook the possible dangers simply to rid themselves of pain.

While the FDA is slow to take any action against celebrex, heart and stroke patients are being advised to seek alternative pain relief. While the drug may be considered safe for those without a history of cardiovascular disease or not considered to be a candidate for stroke, those that have are advised against using any COX-2 inhibitor until the long-range effects are better understood.

Despite the fact it is still being used for arthritis pain relief, in larger doses the potential to tie celebrex to heart and stroke incidents, has attorneys who have handled Vioxx claims lining up for any potential liability that may be aimed at the manufacturer for patients who were prescribed the drug.