|
What is Bextra used for?
Bextra (valdecoxib)
is in a class of drugs called nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).
Valdecoxib works by reducing substances in the body that cause inflammation,
pain, and fever, and is used to reduce pain, inflammation, and stiffness caused
by osteoarthritis and adult rheumatoid arthritis. Valdecoxib is also used to
treat painful menstruation.
Back to top
Who should not take Bextra?
You should not take Bextra if you:
had asthma, hives or allergic reactions after taking aspirin or other NSAIDs (nonsteroidal
anti-inflammatory drugs) or COX-2 inhibitors. Some examples of NSAIDs are
ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil), naproxen (Naprosyn, Aleve), diclofenac (Voltaren,
Cataflam), nabumetone (Relafen), ketoprofen (Orudis), celecoxib (Celebrex), and
rofecoxib (Vioxx). You can ask your doctor or pharmacist for a complete list of
these medications are allergic to valdecoxib (Bextra) or to any of the ingredients in Bextra.
Back to top
What should I tell my health care provider?
Tell your health care provider if you:
- have heart problems or high blood
pressure
- have liver or kidney problems
- have or had stomach ulcers or stomach
bleeding
- have asthma
- are allergic to aspirin or other NSAID
medicines
- are pregnant or planning to become
pregnant
- are breast-feeding
Tell your health care provider about all
the medicines that you are taking, including prescription and non-prescription
medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Your health care provider may have
to adjust your dose or watch you more closely if you take the following
medications:
- certain blood pressure medicines called
ACE inhibitors
- furosemide (Lasix)
- fluconazole or ketoconazole
- lithium
- warfarin (coumadin)
- aspirin
Back to top
What are some possible side effects of
Bextra?
Some of the more serious, possible side effects of Bextra include:
- Abdominal pain, tenderness, or discomfort
- Bloody, black, or tarry stools
- Bloody vomit
- Unusual fatigue or lethargy
- Yellowing of the skin or eyes
- Unusual bruising or bleeding
Pfizer also said it is updating its label on
Bextra to strengthen a warning about a rare but serious skin reaction,
Stevens-Johnson syndrome, that can occur mainly within the first two weeks of
therapy.
Less serious, but sometimes life threatening side effects can include:
- Indigestion
- Nausea
- Stomach pain
- Upper respiratory tract infection
- Diarrhea
- Headache
- Rarely serious ulcers and stomach bleeding
have occurred in patients taking Bextra.
If you are experiencing any of the above listed
side effects, and have taken Bextra, contact
Belluck & Fox
immediately for a free legal evaluation. Drug litigation can be extremely
complex. It is best to seek the counsel of a personal injury attorney with
experience in this field of law. Belluck & Fox has substantial experience with
defective product litigation, including pharmaceutical and medical product
cases. We will provide you with personalized, professional legal representation.
Back to top
How can an arthritis drug lead to heart attack and stroke?
Scientists say they are not sure. However, several studies have indicated that
Bextra,
Vioxx,
Celebrex,
and other COX-2 inhibitors are known to raise blood pressure and increase the
risk of heart attack. Drugs such as Vioxx and Pfizer's Bextra & Celebrex inhibit
Cox-2, an enzyme that triggers pain and inflammation.
Pfizer also said it is updating its label on
Bextra to strengthen a warning about a rare but serious skin reaction,
Stevens-Johnson syndrome, that can occur mainly within the first two weeks of
therapy.
Vioxx has also been associated with several other life-threatening side effects,
including blood clots, angina and nonbacterial meningitis, severe intestinal
damage, ulcerations and bleeding, and kidney damage.
Back to top
What can I take instead of Bextra?
Older medications like ibuprofen, naproxen or simply aspirin have been used as
alternatives for Bextra, Vioxx and Celebrex.
Back to top
What should I do if I am currently taking Bextra?
Contact your doctor to discuss discontinuing use of Bextra and possible
alternative medications. If you have experienced any side effects, contact a
lawyer to review your case. We understand your medical concerns take priority,
but don't ignore your legal right to compensation.
Your state's law may limit your time to bring a legal claim. To protect your
rights, you need to have your personal injury claim evaluated immediately.
Free Bextra Case Evaluation
Back to top
What
should I do if I have been a victim of prescription drugs / pharmaceutical
negligence?
You may be experiencing pain and suffering and severe financial hardships. You
should not go through this difficult time alone. You, the patient, should not be
paying for your doctor's mistakes or negligence. If you or a loved one are living with the consequences of the effects from
Bextra, it is important to contact an experienced lawyer who can protect your
rights and get you the compensation to which you are entitled. Our Bextra Lawyers have a track record of success representing your rights
against drug manufacturers. We are available to discuss your potential claim,
and answer any questions you might have. Call us for a
Free Case Evaluation : 1.877.LEGAL03 Back to top
Related VIOXX FAQs from VIOXX LAWYERS
What is Vioxx?
Vioxx is a popular anti-inflammatory medication introduced to the U.S.
market in 1999, and used to be prescribed to ease the pain, swelling and
other symptoms of osteoarthritis. Before drug maker Merck & Co. withdrew
it from the worldwide market September 30, 2004, it was most commonly
given to patients with Osteoarthritis. Vioxx belongs to a class of
medications known as cyclooxygenase-2, or COX-2, inhibitors. Sales
topped $2.55 billion in 2003.
Vioxx – a non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) – is in a class
of drugs commonly referred to as "Cox-2 Inhibitors". It comes in liquid
or pill form, and is prescribed to relieve the symptoms of
osteoarthritis. It can also be used to treat acute pain in adults such
as those patients who experience severe pain associated with
menstruation. Vioxx works by blocking COX-2 enzymes in the body that
trigger pain and inflammation.
Back to Vioxx FAQs
Why did Merck take Vioxx off the market?
Merck pulled its best-selling arthritis drug off the market based on
data indicating the drug increases the risk of heart attack and stroke
among users.
Merck announced the immediate, voluntary worldwide withdrawal after a
three-year colon cancer clinical trial with 2,600 patients revealed that
18 months after patients started taking Vioxx, test results showed an
increased risk of heart attacks and other cardiovascular complications.
84 million people have used Vioxx since 1999.
In previous years, Merck consistently denied any possible links between
Vioxx and cardiovascular problems.
The drug was licensed in June 1999. Since then, more than 20 million
Americans have taken the drug at one time or another. In September 2001,
the FDA sent Merck an eight-page warning letter about the company’s
promotional campaign for Vioxx. The letter indicated that the campaign
minimized “the potentially serious cardiovascular findings that were
observed” in a trial that compared the drug to naproxen, a
less-expensive painkiller. The FDA charged that Merck discounted the
fact that "patients on Vioxx were observed to have a four to five-fold increase" in heart attacks, compared with patients on naproxen.
Back to Vioxx FAQs
How can an arthritis drug lead to heart attack and
stroke?
Scientists say they are not sure. However, several studies have
indicated that Vioxx and other COX-2 inhibitors are known to raise blood
pressure and increase the risk of heart attack. Drugs such as Vioxx and
Pfizer's Celebrex inhibit Cox-2, an enzyme that triggers pain and
inflammation.
Vioxx has also been associated with several other life-threatening side
effects, including blood clots, angina and nonbacterial meningitis,
severe intestinal damage, ulcerations and bleeding, and kidney damage.
Back to Vioxx FAQs
What are the side effects of Vioxx?
Vioxx side effects may include, but are not limited to, heartburn, nausea,
diarrhea, upper respiratory tract infection, swelling of the lower
extremities (legs and/or feet), high blood pressure, itching, stomach
ulcers or bleeding, fatigue, vomiting, dark urine, and black stools.
In addition to increasing risk of heart attack and stroke, patients
taking Vioxx were found to be four times more likely to suffer from
heart attack than those taking Naproxen (Aleve). Vioxx is more likely to
cause severe intestinal damage, ulcerations and bleeding, blood clots
and toxic epidermal necrolysis (a fatal skin disease), than other
arthritis pain relievers.
Other health problems include:
- Serious kidney problems that could lead to acute kidney failure.
- Serious liver problems.
- Allergic reactions, such as swelling of the face, lips, tongue, and
throat which can cause difficulty breathing or swallowing.
- The FDA reports that Vioxx has also been linked to at least five cases
of a non-bacterial type of meningitis, a rare but serious side effect.
These conditions may come about suddenly with few or no symptoms. If
left untreated, hospitalization or even death can occur. If you, or a loved one, have taken Vioxx and experienced any side
effects, contact our pharmaceutical negligence lawyers today, for a
free evaluation -
1.877.LEGAL03 Back to Vioxx FAQs What does this mean for Celebrex or Bextra, the other
two drugs in the class known as COX-2 inhibitors? In light of the Vioxx study findings, several top scientists have stated
that the finding of an elevated risk of heart attacks and strokes
applies to all COX-2 inhibitors. Clinical trials of Celebrex and Bextra
did not reveal the same problems as Vioxx because participants were
allowed to take aspirin, which has proved to reduce the risk of
cardiovascular problems. Pfizer, maker of Celebrex and the less-prescribed Bextra, stands by its
products. But studies are continuing to review the link of these drugs
to cardiac problems. Back to Vioxx FAQs
|
