Celebrex is marketed by drug manufacturer Pfizer. On December 17, 2004 Pfizer announced that it has found an increased risk of heart attacks among patients who are taking Celebrex.  On April 7, 2005 , the FDA announced that it will require Pfizer to carry a “black box” warning about the increased cardiovascular risks. Black box warnings are the strongest cautionary language that the FDA can order.

What is Celebrex

Celebrex is the most prescribed drug for treating arthritis. It is in the same class of Cox-2 inhibitors as Vioxx and Bextra.  These drugs are related to non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen but perform differently than the standard NSAIDs. More than 26 million people have taken Celebrex.  At the end of September 2004 worldwide sales of the drug more than doubled from the previous year to $2.3 billion.  This accounts for 6% of Pfizer’s total sales for that period.

The Problem with Celebrex

Celebrex has been linked to similar cardiovascular problems as the drugs Vioxx and Bextra.  The National Cancer Institute conducted a study for Pfizer and suspended use of Celebrex when it found that patients taking 400mg-800mg daily had a 2.5 times greater risk of experiencing major heart attacks than those patients that did not take the drug. There was also a separate cancer study that did not find such a risk.  As of March 2005, Pfizer was not pulling the drug from the market but it announced on December 21, 2004 that it would pull the advertising for Celebrex after discussions with the Food and Drug Administration.

Celebrex Side Effects

Based on the National Cancer Institute study, there appears to be an increased risk of cardiovascular problems such as heart attacks and strokes with the use of Celebrex.

Have you or someone you care about used Celebrex and suffered a stroke, heart attack or blood clots?  If so, contact us for a free consultation.  

At Montlick and Associates we work hard for our clients and will do whatever it takes to protect your interests.

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