Popular Arthritis Drugs May Increase Heart Attack Risk

A recent study by the Cleveland Clinic Foundations has revealed that the popular arthritis drugs Celebrex and Vioxx may increase the risk of heart attacks.

Both these drugs are known as COX-2 inhibitors, because they target the enzyme COX-2, which is a biochemical switch to activate inflammatory cell response.  COX-1, another such enzyme, is the target of other drugs, including aspirin.  The COX-2 inhibitors were developed mainly to overcome the gastrointestinal side effects of the COX-1 inhibitors.

The Clinic’s research shows that people who take the COX-2 inhibitors instead of aspirin are twice as likely to have a heart attack.  However, according Dr. Steven Nissen, who took part in the study, the number of heart attacks, even with the increased risk, is still low (about 1% to 2%).