Guest guest Posted July 1, 2004 Report Share Posted July 1, 2004 Subject: Vioxx Tied to Rise in Blood Pressure Vioxx Tied to Rise in Blood Pressure June 30, 2004 09:33:19 AM PDT , Reuters An increase in blood pressure may be more likely when the painkiller Vioxx rather than other similar drugs are used to treat arthritis, researchers report. As lead investigator Dr. Frederick Wolfe told Reuters Health, " we found that patients taking rofecoxib (Vioxx) were more likely to develop (limb swelling) or to have an increase in blood pressure than patients using celecoxib (Celebrex) or other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). " Wolfe, of the Arthritis Research Center Foundation in Wichita, Kansas, and colleagues examined data on 8538 patients taking part in an ongoing study. Rates of edema or swelling unrelated to arthritis were 23 percent higher among participants taking Vioxx than among those not taking any painkillers. The corresponding figure for celecoxib or other NSAID users was 18 percent, according the team's report in the Journal of Rheumatology. The odds of seeing an increase in blood pressure was 21 percent higher among subjects taking Vioxx than for Celebrex users. Nevertheless, despite these particular findings, Wolfe stressed that " patients taking any NSAID should be observed for increases in blood pressure or development of edema. " In an accompanying editorial, Dr. Janet E. Pope of the University of Western Ontario, London, is critical of aspects of the study, but agrees that monitoring blood pressure " particularly early in chronic NSAID users, " is good practice. SOURCE Journal of Rheumatology, June 2004. Get your FREE personalized email signature at My Mail Signature! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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