Vioxx Lawsuit

The popular and heavily advertised arthritis drugs Vioxx have been linked by researchers to an increase in the risk of blood clots, heart attacks and strokes. The study from the Cleveland Clinic appeared in the Journal of the American Medical Association and was based on an analysis of previous clinical trials. Celebrex and Vioxx are projected to produce U.S. sales greater than $6 billion this year. If you feel you have a case regarding the usage of Vioxx, fill out our case form for a free, no risk evaluation.

In a study of more than 8,000 patients that compared the COX-2 inhibitor rofecoxib (Vioxx) with the traditional NSAID naproxen, the risk of cardiovascular problems, including heart attack, chest pain related to heart disease, stroke, sudden death and blood clots, was more than two times higher in the rofecoxib group than in the naproxen group.

Vioxx is classified as and known as COX-2 inhibitors, or coxibs. COX-2 inhibitors, like older drugs such as ibuprofen and naproxen, are nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs. Older NSAIDs reduce inflammation by blocking an enzyme called COX-2, but they also block another enzyme called COX-1. This enzyme helps protect the lining of the stomach, so blocking COX-1 can cause stomach irritation. COX-2 inhibitors only block COX-2, leaving the stomach-protecting COX-1 alone.

Helpful Links

	FDA Vioxx Advisory
	Vioxx Patient Information

The annual rates of heart attack in  Vioxx (rofecoxib) studies were increased compared to a review of studies containing a total of more than 48,000 patients. In those studies, 0.52% of patients taking an inactive placebo pill had a heart attack each year. The annual rate of heart attack was 0.74% for patients taking rofecoxib.

Read some of the symptoms and conditions associated with Vioxx.

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