Bextra
Heart Attack Several recent studies link Bextra
to heart attack, stroke and a serious skin disease. Bextra is a Cox 2 inhibitor,
a drug class that interferes with the body's ability to reduce blood clots, which
increases the risk of heart attack. The FDA requested that the company take
the drug from the market due to the Bextra heart attack risks. An American Heart
Association study, which pooled data from nearly 6,000 patients taking part in
12 trials, found more than 2 times the number of heart attacks or strokes as side
effects among patients given Bextra, compared with those given placebos. Dr.
Garret A. FitzGerald, who presented the study and is a cardiologist and pharmacologist
at the University of Pennsylvania, called the Bextra heart attack risk "a time
bomb waiting to go off." All patients who have taken Bextra or any Cox-2
inhibitor should seek immediate medical assistance if they experience any of heart
attack symptoms. They are advised to discuss any concerns and any signs of Bextra
heart attack problems or other side effects with their doctor as soon as possible. |