Celebrex

celecoxib

Celebrex (celecoxib), manufactured by Pfizer, Inc., is an anti-inflammatory drug prescribed for arthritis and menstrual pain. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) recently halted a long-term trial on the effectiveness of Cox-2 inhibitors at treating cancerous polyps because of the increased level of adverse cardiovascular events among patients in the study. Patients receiving a 400-mg. dose of Celebrex were 3.4 times as likely to experience adverse cardiovascular events than with a placebo. For patients receiving the 200 mg dose of Celebrex, the risk was 2.5 times as great than a placebo.

On December 20, 2004, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a warning to healthcare professionals and patients that Celebrex may be associated with an increased risk of adverse cardiovascular events, including:

• Cardiovascular death
• Acute myocardial infarction
• Stroke

If you experience any of the following side effects while taking Celebrex, you should call your doctor right away. They may indicate the presence of severe cardiovascular or renal effects that can threaten your life:

• Swelling around the ankles, feet, lower legs, hands, or around the eyes
• Unusual weight gain
• Black stool
• Vomiting, especially with the presence of blood in the vomit

Source:

Yael Waknine, “Celebrex Trial Halted Due to Adverse Cardiovascular Events,” Medscape Medical News, December 21, 2004; “FDA Statement on the Halting of a Clinical Trial of the Cox-2 Inhibitor Celebrex,” December 17, 2004.