Bextra and Vioxx -- Alternative Medications Have Warnings, Too

At the urging of the Food and Drug Administration, the drugs Vioxx and Bextra have both been voluntarily withdrawn from the market by their manufacturers. Studies show that these drugs, part of a family of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) known as COX-2 inhibitors, may be linked to increased chances of heart attack or stroke.

Since these two drugs were heavily prescribed for treatment of arthritis pain and inflammation, many users have suddenly found themselves without their prescription medication and without relief. The automatic response to this might be to reach for a traditional anti-inflammatory, such as ibuprofen or naproxen. Alternatively, patients may opt to take the lone remaining prescription drug in the COX-2 family of NSAIDs, Celebrex.

Before reaching for that over-the-counter pain reliever, patients would be well-advised to do some further research, or, on newer bottles, read the label. While the majority of the news reports regarding NSAIDs have covered Bextra and Vioxx, the FDA warnings include all NSAIDs, including the over-the-counter varieties, which include naproxen and ibuprofen. These drugs are now required to have a "black box" warning on the bottle, which outlines the fact that patients taking these medications may be at increased risk of having a heart attack or stroke.

Many physicians in the medical profession are quick to point out that the warnings come as a result of a rather limited study, and that further studies are necessary to fully determine the degree of risk that one assumes when taking these medications. Such studies will be done, but in the meantime, the warnings on the label should not be taken lightly. Patients should be aware that taking such medications either in large doses or over prolonged periods of time could pose certain risks. As always, patients who have questions regarding these or any medications should consult with their physician.

?Copyright 2005 by Retro Marketing.

Charles Essmeier is the owner of Retro Marketing, a firm devoted to informational Websites, including Bextra-Info.net, a site devoted to the withdrawn drug Bextra and StructuredSettlementHelp.com, a site devoted to structured settlements.

---

Accutane Side Effects Lawyer: Hair Loss, Depression, Suicide

You probably know the drug isotretinoin by its trade name, accutane. Accutane is a powerful drug often used to treat acne. Unlike other acne treatments, which are simply antibacterial agents, accutane actually changes... Read More

Find a Doctor

How to find a doctor? There's no magical route to finding the right doctor. If you have a primary care physician just call him or her and make an appointment. If you don't... Read More

Bextra and Vioxx -- Tips for Arthritis Relief Without Them

The recent withdrawal of Vioxx and Bextra from the marketplace, due to concerns over unwanted side effects, has many arthritis sufferers concerned. These drugs, which belong to a powerful class of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory... Read More

The Ease of Using a Motorized Wheelchair to Improve Mobility

No person likes to feel housebound and dependent on others. While people who have been injured or suffering from a debilitating disease may not have full functionality of their motor skills, it is... Read More

The P Value And Its Significance

When diversifying an investment portfolio, one needs to consider investing in the healthcare industries. Pharmaceutical companies that have strong pipelines of investigation drugs have strong growth speculations. In addition to examining its pipelines,... Read More

Hypothermia - The Cold Facts

If you ever go to cold countries, you should undoubtedly have heard of Hypothermia. If you haven't, you should learn something about it. Your very own life may depend on knowing the information... Read More

?Foot Pain Relief At Last!?

"As an arthritis specialist, one area that I see people complain about more often than almost any other, is their feet." So says Dr. Nathan Wei, Clinical Director of The Arthritis and Osteoporosis... Read More

The Last Line of Defense Against Medication Errors: What You Need to Know to Keep your Family Safe

This is a true story.Yesterday, I picked up a new antibiotic prescription for my daughter from my local pharmacy.(We recently adopted my daughter from India where she had recurrent ear infections resulting in... Read More

Are Drug Companies Destroying The U.S. Health Care System?

The U.S. government's annual bill for healthcare spending ? $3,925 per person ? significantly exceeds that of all other nations. Despite this, our current health care system is increasingly failing both patients and... Read More

New Company Helps Another Medical Condition Become: ?Acceptable? Dinner Conversation

Recently once taboo subjects like plastic surgery have become acceptable dinner conversation. Medical conditions are no longer whispered to friends, but have instead become part of the dinner table conversation with full blown... Read More

Coumadin Users Can Avoid Unnecessary Complications By Wearing Identification

The police arrive at the accident scene promptly. A driver has run his automobile into a guardrail while exiting a highway. The driver does not seem to be injured but is somewhat incoherent... Read More

Stem Cell Research

How To Buy Your Way Out Of An Early Death From An Incurable Disease.How?... With private stem cell research, of course!?Stem cell research holds more than hope for cures. The jury is in... Read More

Medication Compliance Kit ... A Life Saver

Pill Proof LLC introduces the first, easy to use medication compliance kit for consumers and medical professionals. Owner, Jane Langdon, has a sister in law with Parkinson's Disease. While visiting her sister in... Read More

Viga Lies Cause Potential Fatalities

Viga and Viga for Women is a dietary supplement sold OTC and via the internet that marketed itself not as a prescription drug but as a dietary supplement pill. It was a dietary... Read More

The Pharmaceutical Drug Cartel and the FDA

According to the Los Angeles Times, the California Association of Physicians and Surgeons, and even the Center for Diseases Control's own admission, well over 100,000 people in this country die each year from... Read More

10 Reasons To Buy Drugs From An Online Canadian Pharmacy

1. Online Canadian pharmacies offer overall best prices on Canadian drugs, as well as on international drugs. This is due to the fact that there are many online Canadian pharmacies and they lower... Read More

Cetyl Myristoleate for Arthrtis: Science or Speculation

There are a lot of fabulous stories about Cetyl Myristoleate (also known as CMO or CM) floating across the Internet. Mine is one of them. There have been a number of articles published... Read More

Serzone Side Effects Lead to Serzone lawsuits

Serzone is a prescription medication that is given to patients who are seriously depressed (Dysthymia,Major Depression, and Bipolar Disorder) to alleviate the symptoms of depression such as sleep and eating habits, changes in... Read More

FDA Orders Search Engines to Stop Online Pharmacies

How Does Online Pharmacies Affect Pharmacy Leaders?With cheaper drugs made available online, big pharmacy companies are losing control of their monopolistic control over the pharmacy industry. They are not able to compete with... Read More

Vioxx Recall leads to Vioxx Lawsuits

Vioxx is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammagory drug (NSAID) that reduces inflammation, pain, fever, osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis stiffness, and menstrual pain. However, Vioxx has been shown to cause blood clots, heart attacks, stroke, Stevens-Johnson... Read More

Could This Be Arthritis In My Hands

Hi Rusty. A few days ago, I slightly injured a finger on my hand. Now my hand is swelling with severe joint pain in the fingers. At first I thought this was a... Read More

Bextra, Vioxx and Side Effects ? Do You Need Aa Lawyer?

The recent withdrawals of the prescription medications Vioxx and Bextra from the marketplace have many people concerned. Studies show that the use of Vioxx could increase the likelihood of strokes and heart attacks;... Read More

Is Anxiety Ruling Your Life?

Anxiety is the most frequently occurring mental health disorder in the United States, according to the US Surgeon General. There are millions of people who are diagnosed with it every year. A small... Read More

CRP And Your Heart

Monitoring your CRP level is vitally important because it is one of the best indicators of heart disease. C-Reactive Protein has proven to be one of the best indicators of looming Heart disease.Find... Read More

Medical Collections

Although you make a patient feel better, there isn't usually anything tangible to be a reminder of your service. When it comes time for the patient to pay their bills, yours is often... Read More

A Guide to Arthritis Pain Relief

In a recent survey on pain conducted by the Stanford University Medical Center, arthritis pain was cited as the chief complaint among America's seniors, with thirty-two percent of the senior population listing arthritis... Read More

Ephedra Product Ban

Ephedra is a naturally occuring herbal dietary supplement that has been marketed as a weight loss drug. The principal active ingredient is an amphetamine-like compound. Because it has been marketed as an herbal... Read More

Zyprexa - History of the Drug

Since the beginning of mankind, mental illness has played a role in our society. Victims of such illnesses have been outcast, stereotyped and often ridiculed. However, over time, medical and psychiatric science advanced... Read More

Building A Medical Spa Inside Your Existing Medical Practice

The physicians conundrum: Everywhere, physicians are contemplating or engaged in expanding into the "medical spa" market. Seduced by the media buzz around this hot new phenomenon, many doctors see the medical spa as... Read More