Toronto (OTL) - A recent study has found that the arthritis drug Vioxx has been connected to an amplified risk of heart attacks and strokes.
A worldwide study linking 2,000 patients found Rofecoxib “substantially” increased the chances of dying or suffering a non-fatal stroke or heart attack a year after stopping treatment.
The study headed by researchers from the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center at the University of Texas.
For those who had the notion that stopping use of the drug would counterbalance the associated risks mentioned, there was more disturbing news. The risks almost doubled and continued to stay at that high level for at least a year after the patient stopped using the drug.
The drug company then began to pay out nearly $5 billion to put an end to tens of thousands of lawsuits.
Other drugs in the same class, such as Cox-2 inhibitors may carry the same risk.
This has caused Merck & Co. to eliminate the popular painkiller Vioxx from the market.
The study has been published in the journal Lancet.