MedLaw Legal Team Attorneys / Physicians Law Practice - Lawyers serving victims of the Celebrex drug The voluntary worldwide withdrawal of the prescription painkiller Vioxx has lead to suspicions that Celebrex, a similar drug, may cause the same cardiovascular problems that led to the recall of Vioxx by Merck & Co. Both Celebrex and Vioxx are drugs that belong to a class of painkillers called COX-2 inhibitors. COX-2 is an enzyme produced by the body that is thought to cause painful swelling in the body, as found in the joints of an arthritis sufferer. Celebrex blocks, or inhibits, this specific enzyme. Numerous studies have linked COX-2 inhibitors with heart attacks and strokes. In the August 2001 edition of the medical journal JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association), an article raised concerns about the drug’s impact on cardiovascular health. The next month, the American Heart Association, the National Stroke Association and the Arthritis Foundation asked Celebrex's manufacturer to test whether Celebrex increases the risk of heart attack and stroke.

More Information About the Dangers of Cox 2 Inhibitors: CELEBREX ALERT BEXTRA ALERT VIOXX ALERT

Drugmaker Pfizer has announced that, based on recent studies, the nation's leading arthritis drug Celebrex raises the risk of heart attack when taken in high dosages.

The National Cancer Institute suspended the use of Celebrex after discovering that patients on the higher doses, 400 to 800 mg/day, had a 2.5 times higher risk of heart attack and associated cardiovascular problems.

In the October 21, 2004, edition of the New England Journal of Medicine, Garret A. FitzGerald, chairman of the department of pharmacology at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, stated that there is evidence that a mechanism common to all COX-2 inhibitors is the source of the heart problems.

Since its approval by the FDA in December 1998, more than 20 million people have been prescribed Celebrex for the relief of symptoms of:

• Osteoarthritis

• Adult rheumatoid arthritis (a severe form of arthritis which affects over 2 million people)

• Primary Dysmennorhea (severe menstrual cramping)

• Acute pain in adults

In addition to increased risk of heart attack and stroke, patients taking Celebrex are also at heightened risk of gastrointestinal hemorrhage, ulcers and kidney problems. Other possible side effects are:

• An allergic reaction (difficulty breathing; closing of your throat; swelling of your lips, tongue, or face; or hives)

• Abdominal pain, tenderness, or discomfort

• Bloody, black, or tarry stools

• Nausea or heartburn

• Bloody vomit

• Unexplained weight gain

• Swelling or water retention

• Unusual fatigue or lethargy

• A skin rash or itching

• Yellowing of your skin or eyes

• “Flu-like" symptoms

• Unusual bruising or bleeding

If you, or a loved one, has taken Celebrex and suffered any side effects, the MEDLAW Legal Team can help protect your rights.

Our in-house legal team consists of a physician, five registered nurses, 13 attorneys, and more than 30 staff-members. As one of the nation's premier pharmaceutical liability law firms, we represent consumers nationwide who have been victimized by defective pharmaceutical drugs, including Celebrex.

We have the experience to protect your legal rights and to help you obtain the compensation you deserve.  If you or a loved one have suffered serious side effects from the use of Celebrex, please contact us for an immediate case evaluation.

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