Celebrex is a member of a class of drugs called COX-2 selective nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs. Celebrex was brought to the market in the late 1990s by Pfizer as a means to introduce this new class of painkillers.
These painkillers were developed to be more effective at stopping pain while being gentler on the stomach than existing painkillers such as Aleve. However, new evidence has come to light that suggests the dangers posed by COX-2 inhibitors far outweigh the benefits.
Celebrex works by blocking the COX-2 enzyme that is thought to contribute to pain and inflammation. It specifically does NOT block the COX-1 enzyme, which protects the stomach lining from acids, making it easier to digest. However, the role of these enzymes in the body is not fully known. It is also thought that the COX-1 enzyme encourages blood clotting while the COX-2 enzyme inhibits clotting. Drugs like Celebrex that block COX-2 enzymes and allow COX-1 enzymes may increase blood clotting, an excess of which can lead to coronary events like heart attacks and strokes.
On January 17, the journal Circulation published a report on its website with evidence linking ALL COX-2 inhibitors with increased risk of heart attack and stroke, according to the Washington Post. The study was lead by Dr. Garret FitzGerald, a cardiologist and pharmacologist at the University of Pennsylvania who has taken a leading role in demonstrating the risks of COX-2 inhibitor Bextra. He and his research team gave mice a COX-2 inhibitor similar to Celebrex and, according to Kaisernetwork.org, "observed 'dangerously unstable' deposits of plaque, which makes artery walls more likely to rupture and could lead to a heart attack or stroke in humans". Dr. Fitzgerald noted that "the earliest evidence of cardiovascular risks associated with COX-2 drugs also came from animal experiments."
In addition:
- No study has ever shown that the Cox-2 inhibitors offer significantly better relief than the traditional NSAID family of drugs that includes aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen.
- Celebrex itself has "never sufficiently demonstrated that [it] reduces the rate of serious gastrointestinal problems compared with existing painkillers like and ibuprofen, the world's best-selling COX-2 [inhibitor] has never been proven to the FDA's satisfaction to have the stomach-protecting benefits that originally were supposed to be the point of that category of drugs" (The New York Times).
If you or a loved one have taken Celebrex and have experienced any side effects, including blood clots, heart attacks, strokes or even sudden death, contact us immediately at 800-966-4999 and see why our law firm has recovered over $100 million on behalf of our clients.
