Celebrex and Vioxx Increase Heart Disease Risk - DrLam®

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Celebrex and Vioxx Increase Heart Disease Risk

By: Michael Lam, MD, MPH
www.DrLam.com

The popular painkillers Celebrex and Vioxx may slightly increase a person's risk of having a heart attack, according to an analysis of clinical studies of the "super aspirin" drugs. Celebrex, was the sixth-leading prescription drug in sales dollars last year and has been used by 14 million people.

COX-2 inhibitors have had a rapid rise to fame since its introduced in 1999. The drugs are popular because they provide the same pain-killing effects as aspirin and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
such as ibuprofen, but with less chance of causing gastrointestinal side-effects such as ulcers and intestinal bleeding. By October 2000, annual sales skyrocketed to $3 billion in the United States. This translates into about 100 million individual prescriptions.

COX-2 inhibitors, like older drugs such as ibuprofen , are nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs. Older NSAIDs reduce inflammation by blocking an enzyme called COX-2, but they also block another enzyme
called COX-1. This enzyme helps protect the lining of the stomach, so blocking COX-2 can cause stomach irritation. COX-2 inhibitors only block COX-2, leaving the stomach-protecting COX-1 untouched. GI irritation is one of the leading causes of complications from NSAIDs. The COX-2 class drugs are used extensively in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, but have also been prescribed for general pain relief.

Researchers at the Cleveland Clinic now warn that the COX-2 inhibitors may be harmful . After an extensive literature review, it was found that the risk of having a heart attack while on rofecoxib is 42 per cent greater than if taking a placebo (0.74 per cent versus 0.52 per cent annual rate). This translate into 1 in 300 patients on the medication. The risk is small, but statistically significant. The same danger applied to celecoxib where the risk is 54 per cent greater (0.80 per cent versus 0.52 per cent annual rate). Researchers come to this conclusion after extracting data from trials involving 23,407 patients. Another trial found that people taking rofecoxib had twice as many cardiovascular events (heart attacks, strokes, angina, etc.) than did patients on the NSAID naproxen. This was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, (Vol. 286, August 22/29, 2001, pp. 954-959).

What should you do ?

Cox2 inhibitors, like the widely prescribed cholesterol lowering drug Baycor, are accidents waiting to happen. Over-prescribed and promoted almost to the status of "miracle" medicine, these two are the Batman and Robin of chronic disease fighters - relieve join pain without gastric irritation, and lower cholesterol without reducing sugar or fat intake. This is simply too good to be true.

Side-effects are to be expected of almost all medicines. By definition, medicines are not normal compounds found in the body. They are bought in for a specific purpose - to relive certain symptom by suppressing them, most of the time. In the case of lipid lowering statin drugs like Lipitor, its suppressing cholesterol formation from the liver. In the case of Cox-2 inhibitor, it suppress the inflammatory response of pain.

Does anyone bother to ask why is cholesterol high in the first place, or why does inflammation occur? Serious researchers in anti-aging have known for years that inflammation is caused by bodily insult of some kind. Sometimes the insult is from external source, such as trauma or repetitive overuse. Insults can also cause by chronic micro-trauma to the cellular structure from oxidative stress.

Unfortunately, none of these two "miracle" medicine cures the disease. They simply suppress the symptoms, while bringing the patient down the garden path of side effects. There is little doubt that both medicine works to suppress symptoms. In fact, they almost do too good of a job - often at a price !

Just remember - there is no free lunch when you are taking drugs. The only free lunch comes from nurturing your body through a naturally oriented whole food and supplementation program.

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About The Author

Michael Lam, M.D., M.P.H., A.B.A.A.M. is a specialist in Preventive and Anti-Aging Medicine. He received his Bachelor of Science degree from Oregon State University, and his Doctor of Medicine degree from Loma Linda University School of Medicine, California. He also holds a Masters of Public Health degree and is Board Certified in Anti-aging Medicine by the American Board of Anti-Aging Medicine. He has authored numerous articles and the following books: The Five Proven Secrets to Longevity, How to Stay Young and Live Longer, Estrogen Dominance - Hormonal Imbalance of the 21st Century, and Beating Cancer with Natural Medicine.

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