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(Cox-2 inhibitors) Summary of COX-2 inhibitors are a type of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) that specifically inhibits an enzyme known as cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2). These drugs are used to treat pain and may be less likely to cause gastrointestinal bleeding than other NSAIDs. Cyclooxygenase comes in two forms: COX-1 and COX-2. Unlike other NSAIDs, COX-2 inhibitors suppress only one form of cyclooxygenase, COX-2. Researchers believe part of the role of COX-1 is to protect your stomach lining. Because the other NSAIDs suppress its function, side effects such as stomach and bleeding problems can result. COX-2 inhibitors affect only that form of the enzyme (COX-2) involved in inflammation. Because they don't affect COX-1, COX-2 inhibitors may cause fewer side effects in your digestive system. However, this result, along with the long-term effects of COX-2 inhibitors, needs to be verified with further research. In addition, COX-2 inhibitors don't thin your blood like aspirin and other NSAIDs. If your doctor has prescribed aspirin for a heart condition, don't use COX-2 inhibitors instead.
Valdecoxib is a prescription drug used in the treatment of osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and painful menstruation and menstrual symptoms. It is classified as a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, or NSAID, and should not be taken by anyone allergic to these types of medications. Valdecoxib was manufactured and marketed under the brand name Bextra by G. D. Searle & Company. It was approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration on November 20, 2001, and was available by prescription in tablet form until 2005, when it was removed from the market due to concerns about possible increased risk of heart attack and stroke. On April 7, 2005, Pfizer withdrew Bextra from the U.S. market on recommendation by the FDA, citing an increased risk of heart attack and stroke and also the risk of a serious, sometimes fatal, skin reaction. This was a result of recent attention to prescription NSAIDs, such as Merck's Vioxx. Other reported side-effects were angina and Stevens-Johnson syndrome. Pfizer first acknowledged cardiovascular risks associated with Bextra in October of 2004. The American Heart Association soon after was presented with a report indicating patients using Bextra while recovering from heart surgery were 2.19 times more likely to suffer a stroke or heart attack than those taking placebos.
Source: Marketdata Enterprises, Inc., Chronic Pain Management Programs: A Market Analysis, Wikipedia, various other sources
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