Celebrex and Vioxx: Dangerous drugs that may increase your risk for heart attack and stroke by up to 60%

The leading cause of disability in the U.S., arthritis, disrupts the lives of 43 millions of Americans. It can make everyday tasks unbearable. To manage the chronic pain, many of us rely on NSAIDs such as aspirin or ibuprofen. They may work okay, but over time these over-the-counter medications can eat away at your stomach and cause ulcers.

Back in 1999, two major drug companies introduced a new class of anti-inflammatory drugs that were supposed to be safer on your stomach. Sales of the so-called super-aspirins, Celebrex and Vioxx, soon surpassed even the blockbuster impotency drug Viagra...not too bad for a couple of drugs that hadn't been proven to work any better than aspirin or ibuprofen, but cost a whole lot more.

But after their release on the market, upsetting research began to emerge that Cox-2 inhibitors significantly increase your risk of suffering a stroke or heart attack. In fact, in August 2001, the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) reported that patients taking Cox-2 inhibitors increased their risk for heart disease by up to 60%. Then in September 2004 the manufacturer of Vioxx pulled their drug from the market due to safety concerns of an icreased risk of 'cardiovascular events.' Yes...Cox-2 inhibitors help you manage the pain...but at what cost?

To counteract the risk of heart attack, some doctors have advised their patients taking Cox-2 inhibitors to add an aspirin to their daily regimen. How ironic...daily aspirin causes exactly the kind of stomach upset the Cox-2 inhibitors were designed to prevent in the first place!