Bextra is a COX-2 inhibitor (an anti-inflammatory in the same class as Vioxx) prescribed to treat those suffering from osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and menstrual cramping. Pfizer Inc. manufactures Bextra.
On November 9, 2004, at American Heart Association Conference, Dr. Garret A. Fitzgerald, a cardiologist and pharmacologist at the University of Pennsylvania, presented preliminary results of a study linking Pfizers painkiller Bextra to an increased risk of heart attack and stroke. The study, which pooled data from 5,930 patients taking part in 12 trials, found that patients who took Bextra were more than two times more likely to suffer a heart attack or stroke than those patients who were given a placebo (sugar pill). Dr. Fitzgerald said of the results, This is a time bomb waiting to go off.
On November 10, 2004, the New York Times reported that a new safety study had established a link between Bextra and serious side effects, including heart attack and stroke.
On October 15, 2004, Pfizer Inc. said that two small clinical trials showed heart bypass surgery patients taking Bextra had a higher risk of stroke and heart attack.
The FDA approved Bextra treat arthritis pain, but surprisingly Bextra has not been proven to alleviate pain any better than older, cheaper medicines like ibuprofen or naproxen. Nor has Bextra been proven to be any safer to the stomach than those drugs.
Currently, Phillips Law Group is actively investigating injury claims on behalf of injured Bextra users. If you or a loved one has suffered damaging side effects as a result of taking Bextra, contact the personal injury attorneys at any one of our Arizona office immediately to discuss your legal rights.
