Recent Study Results as to the Cause of Vioxx Heart Risk
The JereBeasley Report
October 2007 - Page 22

Researchers believe they have found what actually caused Vioxx to boost heart risks for persons taking the drug. As we all know, the pain reliever was taken off the market in 2004 because it was linked to a high risk of heart attack and stroke. In experiments with mice, researchers have found that when cox-2 enzyme, it does in fact reduce pain. But it also increases the production of a protein called tissue factor (TF), which can initiate unwanted clotting, and therein lies the problem. Because heart attack's and strokes are triggered by blood clots, it is possible that the over-production of TF is, in part, responsible for cox-2 inhibitors' dangerous side effects.

The University of Connecticut-led team reported on this connection in the August 27th online edition of The Journal of Experimental Medicine. Lead researcher Mallika Ghosh, a post doctorate fellow at the university's Center for Vascular Biology in the department of cell biology at the University of Connecticut Health Center, observed: "WE provide a mechanism to understand the side effects cause by cox-2 inhibitors." Previously, the increased cardiovascular risk associated with cox-2 inhibitors was linked to prostacyclin, another protein important for preventing clotting. It's been shown that cox-2 inhibitors do lower prostacyclin levels.

Ties That Bind
For years, pharmaceutical companies have courted America’s doctors with an ever-growing intensity, showering them with billions of dollars’ worth of gifts, consulting fees and trips to persuade them to prescribe their drugs. Read more...

Recent Study Results as to the Cause of Vioxx Heart Risk
Researchers believe they have found what actually caused Vioxx to boost heart risks for persons taking the drug. As we all know, the pain reliever was taken off the market in 2004 because it was linked to a high risk of heart attack and stroke. Read more...

Merck Loses Bid for New Trial in New Jersey Vioxx Case
A New Jersey judge has upheld a $13.5 million verdict against drug maker Merck & Co. in a Vioxx case. The August 7th ruling by Atlantic County Superior Court Judge Carol Higbee denied Merck’s request for a new trial or a reduction in the verdict, which included punitive damages of $9 million. Read more...

Vioxx removed from the drug market
The manufacturer, Merck, withdrew Vioxx from the American market on September 30, 2004. Studies indicate that Vioxx can cause constriction of the blood vessels and can promote blood clotting, which can lead to acute heart attack or stroke. Read more...