Class Action Newsroom

Ceoxx Heart Attack And Ceoxx Stroke

Recent studies revealed that for patients taking Ceoxx heart attack and stroke risk increased twofold. As a result, in September 2004, the FDA encouraged the manufacturer, Merck, to withdraw the popular pain medication from the market. Merck complied, and voluntary withdrew the anti-inflammatory medication from the market. Ceoxx was mainly used to relieve symptoms of osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and related joint pain. But the Ceoxx stroke and heart attack connection was just to serious to ignore, and the company had no choice but to take the product off the market.

The FDA and its team of health experts simply could no longer deny the Ceoxx heart attack link, although for years tests pointed to serious health risks associated with the drug. Experts cited gastrointestinal bleeding, as well as the Ceoxx heart and stroke problem as their main concerns.

Ceoxx, a drug in the new class of selective NSAIDs called COX-2 inhibitors, ease pain by blocking prostaglandins, hormone-like substances that act as chemical messengers communicating pain and inflammation throughout the body. The FDA study showed that with drugs like Ceoxx heart attack risk increased slightly with chronic use, or use of the drug for a period of eighteen months or longer. The risk of a Ceoxx stroke or heart attack, in addition to the increased risks of GI bleeding in the form of stomach ulcers, brought to light an issue that not only affected Ceoxx, but impacted similar drugs, as well.

This is because, Ceoxx is closely related to the nonselective NSAIDs, such as Ibuprofen, sold as Motrin and Advil, to name a few. In fact, the FDA recently advised manufacturers to revise their labeling and provide more specific information about the potential heart attack and gastrointestinal risks of their individual products. Therefore, the Ceoxx heart attack study eventually pinpointed similar dangers associated with this group of over-the-counter drugs that, until recently, most people viewed as completely benign. The Ceoxx stroke and heart problem was not exclusive to this particular medication, rather it was a potential issue with all of the anti-inflammatory drugs.

Ceoxx was not the last prescription NSAID to face the consequences of an FDA review board. In April, the government issued a warning, similar to the Ceoxx heart attack warning, for Pfizer's popular prescription arthritis medicine Celebrex. In addition, the FDA requested that Pfizer, the manufacturer of a similar NSAID called BEXTRA, discontinue sales of this drug in the United States.

Many Americans trusted medicines like Ceoxx and BEXTRA to ease their pain safely and effectively. Those who used these pain relievers are simultaneously disappointed, yet thankful, to see the FDA remove these potentially dangerous drugs from the market. But the FDA had little choice but to pull the plug on drugs like Ceoxx, after uncovering the connection between Ceoxx, heart disease and strokes.

So if both the prescription and over-the-counter arthritis and pain medications have potential serious side effects, what options do arthritis sufferers have?

Fortunately, there are many natural alternatives that have been shown to be effective in treating arthritis pain. In fact, some of these natural treatments have been shown to be more effective than anti-inflammtory drugs, without the potential Ceoxx stroke and heart attack side effects. Natural anti-inflammatories such as glucosamine, chondroitin and an organic sulfur compound called MSM can be very helpful. Pain sufferers can avoid the dangerous connection that exists between NSAIDs like Ceoxx and heart disease by taking natural supplements. Instead of tricking the body into not receiving pain signals, these supplements go straight to the cause of the disease by strengthening and rebuilding connective tissue, reducing inflammation and relieving painful arthritis symptoms.