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The Vioxx recall on September 30, 2004 by the international
prescription drug company Merck involved pulling the arthritis and pain medication
Vioxx off the market. The voluntary Vioxx recall occurred because several studies showed
Vioxx side effects increased risk of heart attack and stroke. Merck's Vioxx is a newer
type of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAIDs) that was once hailed as a "super
painkiller." Vioxx, sold in some countries under the name Ceoxx, was prescribed to over
ninety-one million people before the Vioxx recall occurred. The studies that led to the
recall of Vioxx showed that patients regularly taking the drug faced twice the risk of a
heart attack compared to patients not taking Vioxx. In the studies, the dangerous Vioxx
side effects began after 18 months of treatment.
Vioxx was developed after the original group of NSAIDs was found to cause
gastrointestinal problems in patients. Vioxx was developed in order to reduce the
occurrence of harmful side effects associated with pain medications and only affects one
of the two enzymes that play a key role in pain relief. COX-1 was left out of the new
drug formulations. The new NSAIDs were to inhibit only the COX-2 enzyme. The long term
Vioxx side effects of the drugs that inhibit this enzyme were the source of problems in
the Merck Vioxx recall.
Merck claimed that the voluntary Vioxx recall was initiated because the Vioxx
side effects associated with this medication outweighed its intended benefits. The Vioxx
recall completely pulled Vioxx off the market and it is no longer available for consumer
use due to the Vioxx side effects. If you have taken Vioxx in the past and you have
suffered serious Vioxx side effects such as heart attack or stroke, you have certain
legal rights, and you may have a legal case against Merck, the maker of Vioxx.
For more information on the Vioxx recall you may wish to speak to a Vioxx lawyer
who can advise you of your legal rights and options in a Vioxx lawsuit or Vioxx class
action lawsuit. If you fail to protect your legal rights now, you may lose the right to
be compensated for your harm from the Vioxx side effects.
Vioxx side effects that initiated the Vioxx recall:
High risk of heart attacks, chest pain related to heart disease, stroke, sudden
death, and blood clots. Stomach problems, such as stomach and intestinal bleeding, can
occur with or without warning symptoms. If severe enough, these Vioxx side effects could
lead to hospitalization or death. Allergic reactions include swelling of face, lips,
tongue, and/or throat which may cause difficulty breathing or swallowing but may require
treatment right away. Kidney problems include acute kidney failure and worsening of
chronic kidney failure.
If you have any of the above serious and life threatening Vioxx side effects,
contact your doctor immediately.
More Vioxx side effects include:
| *Heartburn, stomach pain, and upset stomach |
*Upper and/or lower respiratory infection and/or inflammation |
| *Headache |
*Swelling of the legs and/or feet |
| *Dizziness |
*High blood pressure |
| *Diarrhea |
*Back pain |
| *Nausea |
*Tiredness |
| *Vomiting |
*Urinary tract infection |
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