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Celebrex: Helping You Manage Pain

admin — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 17:05:26 +0000

If you suffer from joint paint, stiffness or arthritis, you may experience relief by taking Celebrex. Pfizer Inc. has developed Celebrex as an effective pain relief medication used to treat stiffness, joint pain, adult rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis swelling. Since being approved by the FDA in 1998, Celebrex has been used for pain relief.

Celebrex affects Cox-2 which is an enzyme that causes pain and inflammation. The drug inhibits the enzyme and provides pain relief. You should take Celebrex orally on an empty stomach. A blood test may be required before obtaining a prescription for the drug. Celebrex is available in 100 mg and 200 mg doses, and should not be taken by women who are expecting or wish to become pregnant.

Celebrex is well tolerated by most individuals, but it may cause some side effects such as indigestion, diarrhea and abdominal pain. Heart, intestinal or stomach problems and skin reactions are some of the more serious potential side effects. In rare cases, taking Celebrex can be fatal so make sure to seek immediate medical attention if you suffer any of these side effects.

Disclose your medical history with your doctor and discuss if Celebrex medication can help you manage your pain. You can also purchase Celebrex at an online pharmacy which can save you both time and money.

Celebrex: The Drug May Lower Your Risk of Cancer, But Increase Your Risk of Heart Problems

admin — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 17:03:53 +0000

Celebrex is a drug used to prevent colon cancer in high-risk patients and treat arthritis. However, researchers warn that the drug can also increase your risk of suffering a stroke or heart attack. Pfizer Inc. claims that high doses of the drug may lower pre-cancerous polyps by up to 45%, based on two clinical trials. Unfortunately, an analysis of these same studies revealed that patients who took Celebrex also suffered more cardiovascular complications.
Celebrex is a COX-2 inhibitor which works in much the same way as Merck & Co. Inc.’s Vioxx. This drug was removed from the market in 2004 after studies revealed that it doubled the risk of strokes and heart attacks. During the American Association for Cancer Research’s annual meeting, participants evaluated the possibility that over-expression of the COX-2 enzyme contributes to the spread and growth of colorectal tumors. If this is the case, COX-2 inhibitors may lower the amount of benign tumors in patients with a history of the disease and hinder development of sporadic colorectal tumors.
The trials involved patients who were on average 60 years old and had previously had precancerous colon polyps removed. Most of the participants were smokers who had several cardiovascular risk factors, including chest pain, diabetes, high blood pressure and previous strokes or heart attacks.
Pfizer and the National Cancer Institute co-sponsored the APC trial, whereas Pfizer was the only sponsor of the PreSAP trial. The end results of the APC trial confirmed earlier results released in 2004; a significantly higher percentage of trial participants who took Celebrex showed higher risk of serious cardiovascular problems than patients who took a placebo.
Pfizer claims that the PreSAP trial’s preliminary results did not reveal an increase in cardiovascular problems. However, the company also admitted that a broader analysis of cardiovascular problems such as chest pain revealed more cardiovascular problems for patients taking Celebrex than ones who took the placebo. Pfizer indicated that these results are consistent with the Celebrex label’s warnings regarding cardiovascular risk.
The drug manufacturer stated that it has disclosed information about the PreSAP and APC trials to worldwide regulatory agencies. Pfizer also stated that it will submit the final reports to the American Food and Drug Administration (FDA), as well as other regulatory agencies.

The Current News on the Arthritis Painkillers: Celebrex, Vioxx & Glucosamine

admin — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 16:56:04 +0000

Celebrex & Vioxx

A panel of experts with the FDA recently made recommendations regarding Celebrex and Vioxx, two expensive drugs used to treat individuals with arthritis. The drugs that are known as selective COX-2 inhibitors are marketed as powerful and strong, although studies have not proven them to be any more effective than older non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory drugs called NSAIDs. The ruling of the FDA focused on the supposed ability of the COX-2 inhibitors to reduce pain without the gastrointestinal risks associated with older NSAIDs.

Celebrex’s manufacturer, Pharmacia, submitted results from a study comparing its drug with ibuprofen and diclofenac, two other NSAIDs. The FDA determined that the company had not presented a significant safety advantage of their drug compared to other NSAIDs. Consequently, the panel refused Pharmacia’s request to remove the gastrointestinal risk warning, “serious stomach problems, such as bleeding, can occur without warning” that all NSAIDs must include on their packaging and in all of their advertisements. This is in spite of the fact that these drugs can cause ulcers.

Many study participants also took low aspirin doses in order to minimize their risk of a heart attack. This canceled any benefits regarding protecting the stomach that Celebrex claims to offer. Most of the individuals targeted by Celebrex are older and more likely to be taking aspirin. The FDA also issued Pharmacia a fourth warning letter claiming that their marketing of Celebrex is “false, lacking in balance.” The company minimized the potentially serious risk posed to individuals who use Celebrex in combination with blood-thinning drugs such as aspiring.

The FDA panel was not as hard on the manufacturer of Vioxx, Merck. The company submitted a study that revealed a lower rate of stomach ulcers than the drug, naproxen. However, there wasn’t a large enough drop to convince the FDA panel to remove the bleeding risks warning from the labels on Vioxx. The FDA panel did agree to describe these results on the drug’s label at the request of Merck. The panel stated that patients and doctors must be warned that the risk of a heart attack or cardiovascular problems are twice as high for people who take Vioxx compared to naproxen. A month’s supply of glucosamine costs approximately $10 to $20, whereas the same supply of Celebrex or Vioxx will cost between $72 and $85.

Several clinical trials have revealed that glucosamine is effective to relieve pain for individuals suffering from osteoarthritis. This popular dietary supplement is available over the counter and has also proven to be safer than NSAIDs such as acetaminophen, ibuprofen and aspirin. Approximately 15,000 people die every year and 70,000 are hospitalized after suffering gastrointestinal bleeding caused by NSAIDs.

Glucosamine has also been proven to slow the progression of osteoarthritis in recent clinical trials. One trial included 212 individuals who suffered from mild to moderate osteoarthritis of the knee. Some participants were given a daily dose of 1,500 mg of glucosamine, whereas others were given a placebo for a period of three years. X-rays were taken of all the participants’ knees before and after the trial. Individuals who were given the placebo revealed a progressive joint-space narrowing, but the people who took glucosamine did not.

The placebo group showed slightly worse symptoms; however, the group that took glucosamine revealed a significant reduction of disability and pain during the three years. Neither group experienced any major complications. This trial was very important because it lasted three years, unlike the regular two-month period of most clinical trials for prescriptions drugs awaiting FDA approval. Glucosamine did not require pre-approval safety and efficacy testing normally required of prescription drugs because it is classified as a dietary supplement.