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drug_recall vioxxVioxx is a prescription COX-2 selective, non-steroidal anti - inflammatory drug (NSAID) that was introduced to the US Market in 1999. Vioxx is a group of newer drugs designed to treat osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, to manage other forms of acute pain, and to treat menstrual symptoms. On September 30, 2004, Merck and Co. (Vioxx''s manufacturer) voluntarily pulled Vioxx off the market because of clinical study results that showed a significant increase in the risks of heart problems and st r okes in patients taking Vioxx.
This 3-year study called APPROVe, conducted to show the reaction Vioxx had on colon polyps , was stopped short when researchers found that patients who had been on Vioxx for eighteen months were two times more likely to have a heart attack or stroke than those who did not take Vioxx.
This study came after other studies designed to test the safety and reaction Vioxx has on its users. The FDA conducted a report in 2004 reviewing 1.4 million medical records to study the effects of Vioxx. Their study indicated that people taking Vioxx were more likely to suffer heart problems or stoke than those not being treated or those taking alternative treatments such as Pfizer''s Celebrex.
Merck had also conducted a study reported in 2000 called VIGO R designed to test the gastrointestinal effects of Vioxx on patients. Vioxx''s makers revealed that patients taking naproxen (an older NSAID osteoarthritis drug) had a lower risk of heart problems than Vioxx patients, but a significantly higher gastrointestinal reaction Vioxx does not cause.
Gastrointestinal (GI) problems were the focus of this study because of the effects of older NSAIDs on patients. Non-steroidal anti - inflammatory drugs can affect two types of enzymes : COX-1 and COX-2. Drugs inhibiting COX-1 (many of the older drugs) can cause ulcers and GI problems, but may also prevent blood clotting that can lead to heart problems. COX-2 inhibitor drugs, like Vioxx, do not cause the same GI problems but do cause the type of reaction Vioxx is being pulled from the market for- serious increased risk for heart problems and stroke.
Shortness of breath, chest pains, buildup of excess fluid in body tissues, tiredness and fatigue, confusion and impaired thinking, loss of appetite, and rapid heart beat are all signs of the type of heart related reaction Vioxx can cause . These reaction signs to Vioxx may indicate a heart attack or heart failure. Symptoms of a stroke include sudden numbness or weakness, vision problems, dizziness, trouble walking, talking, or comprehending others, and loss of balance.
If you have experienced any strange heart or cerebrovascular reaction , Vioxx may be to blame. Vioxx is no longer being sold on the U.S. market. If you are currently taking Vioxx, contact your doctor regarding your treatment options. If you have been injured as a result of any adverse reaction Vioxx caused, you may be eligible to seek compensation for your damages.
Two reports released Wednesday reveal that Merck waged a deceptive promotional campaign for its top-selling painkiller Vioxx and disguised company studies as the work of outside scientists.
JAMA Studies
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The third-largest drugmaker in the U.S, Merck, agreed to settle a majority of their claims involving the painkiller Vioxx for $4.85 billion.
The settlement is reportedly the larg...
An Idaho state jury has found that the painkiller Vioxx contributed to the heart attack of a postal worker. The jury awarded him and his wife a multimillion-dollar verdict.
Frede...