Vioxx & Heart Disease
The Risks Of Vioxx
Almost every prescription drug on the market has some significant
side effects, with some more severe than others. Usually,
the doctors will weigh the risks of possible side effects
to the benefits of the treatment when deciding a patient’s
need for the drug. However, when the high incident risk between
Vioxx and heart disease was discovered, the drug was pulled
from the market.
There are some non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, used
for pain, have been available over the counter for may years,
and sold under a variety of names such as ibuprofen and naproxen.
All of them are labeled with a warning that they might cause
stomach ulcers and other problems. This is because of the
cyclooxygenase (COX) inhibitors, which are part of the products,
inhibit what is referred to COX-1, which can produce an enzyme
which is responsible for the protection of the stomach lining.
Researchers have discovered a way to block COX-2 production
and not COX-1, which showed promise of a pain reliever that
did not have the same side effects that cause stomach problems.
The COX-2 enzyme, on the other hand, also blocks the production
of prostaglandin, and anti-clotting agent. When the effects
of Vioxx and heart disease began to appear, there were additional
warnings added to the drug’s label.
The manufacturer informed the approving agency, the FDA,
this tie-in of Vioxx, and heart disease was only common in
patients with a high risk of coronary events, and under a
physician’s guidance was safe for use by those without
a severe risk, reducing the threat linked to Vioxx and heart
disease.
Drug Recalled From Market
When further studies showed an increase of heart attacks
in patients who take Vioxx and heart disease histories increased
four times. An editorial in the New England Journal of Medicine
claimed the makers of Vioxx were aware of increased threat
of those taking Vioxx and heart disease. Those claims were
the major cause of the additional warnings placed on labels.
Due to the increased incidents of those taking Vioxx and
heart disease events such as heart attack and stroke, Vioxx
was pulled from the market in 2005, after six years of existence
on the market.
The increased scrutiny tying Vioxx and heart disease is the
leading factor in drawing the manufacturer into numerous lawsuits
around the country. The families of people with histories
of major coronary events, who were taking Vioxx and died,
have taken legal action claiming the tie-in of Vioxx and heart
disease is responsible for their loved-ones deaths.
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