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What is the Celebrex Renal Failure relationship?
Is the benefit of Celebrex worth the risk of Celebrex renal failure?
What problems, other than renal failure, does
Celebrex cause?
Is the cost of Celebrex worth the risk of Celebrex renal
failure?
More information about Celebrex renal failure
References related to Celebrex renal failure
Vioxx and Kidney Failure
Vioxx and Celebrex, two popular prescription medications used to treat
chronic pain associated with arthritis and other conditions, have been
linked to renal failure. These two drugs belong to a new class of pain
medications known as COX-2 inhibitors. Drug Safety, a medical journal
that reports on the safety of prescription medications, published a
study in 2002 warning that "Physicians should be aware that serious or
life-threatening renal failure has been reported in patients with normal
or impaired renal function after short-term therapy with celecoxib and
rofecoxib." In addition to the published reports, Merck, the
manufacturer of Vioxx, has received reports of several cases of possible
kidney failure associated with their drug. Pharmacia, the manufacturer
of Celebrex, has received similar reports regarding renal failure and the lack of safety of their
medication.
What is Celebrex renal failure?
Renal failure is a serious condition. Damaged kidneys are unable to
excrete sufficient amounts of waste and other toxic substances from the
body. According to the Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy, the
textbook of medicine most widely used by health care professionals in
the U.S. and worldwide, this build up of toxins may cause the patient to
feel weary, tire easily, and become less mentally alert. Increased
levels of toxins may lead to muscle twitches, muscle weakness, and
cramps. Convulsions (seizures) may result if high blood pressure or
abnormalities in the blood chemistry cause the brain to malfunction. The
digestive tract is also affected, causing a loss of appetite, nausea,
vomiting, and inflammation of the lining of the mouth (stomatitis). In
its advanced stages, kidney failure often results in intestinal ulcers
and bleeding.
What is
the relation between Celebrex and renal failure?
Both Vioxx and Celebrex have been associated with kidney failure and
other complications. Research published in the International Urology and
Nephrology journal reports acute renal failure due to treatment with
COX-2 inhibitors. Doctors involved in the research warn that caution
about kidney failure should be used when treating patients with Vioxx or
Celebrex. Other research warned that Vioxx and Celebrex carried the same
risk of kidney damage as other medications used to treat pain. The
researchers found that Vioxx and Celebrex "did not differ from a
nonselective nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (naproxen), in
influencing renal function as measured by urinary sodium excretion,
systolic and diastolic blood pressure, creatinine clearance, or weight
change."
Is
the benefit of Celebrex worth the risk of renal failure?
Developed and approved to treat the pain of arthritis, Vioxx and
Celebrex have been used to treat everything from back ache to menstrual
cramps. Representatives from Merck and Pharmacia began an aggressive
marketing campaign, directed towards doctors who could prescribe the
drug, in some cases telling doctors they could prescribe the medication
for purposes other than those approved by the FDA. The companies also
conducted heavy direct-to-consumer advertising campaigns, telling
consumers to ask their doctor about Vioxx, or to ask if Celebrex was
right for them.
Vioxx and Celebrex belong to a class of drugs designed to replace
nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like naproxen and
ibuprofen. Merck and Pharmacia advertised their respective drugs as
safer, claiming there was a lower chance of ulcers and other
complications associated with NSAIDs. But some doctors and consumer
advocacy groups have charged that the medications are little more than
super-expensive versions of aspirin. The British Medical Journal (BMJ)
has asserted that the makers of Celebrex were "over-optimistic" about
their research data. A report issued by the FDA said that research on
the new pain medications "did not show a safety advantage in upper
gastrointestinal events for Celebrex compared to either ibuprofen or
diclofenac." Pharmacia argued that the study was not a fair
representation of their product.
What problems, other than renal failure, does Celebrex cause?
Unfortunately, problems began to appear among patients who had received
prescriptions for the new medications shortly after the drugs went to
market. In addition to kidney problems, Vioxx and Celebrex have been
associated with heart problems, aseptic meningitis and slow healing of
bone fractures.
Is the
cost of Celebrex worth the risk of renal failure?
Some doctors believe that the medications are no more effective than
older, less expensive drugs. One big difference is in the price:
Patients pay as much as $134.99 for 30 50-mg Vioxx capsules, and $96.99
for 30 200-mg Celebrex pills. This compares to $16.69 for 30 500-mg
pills of generic naproxen. An over-the-counter bottle of 24 tablets of
200-mg ibuprofen (Advil) cost $3.99.
References
related to Celebrex renal failure
Ahmad SR, et al (2002) "Renal failure associated with the use of
celecoxib and rofecoxib." Drug Safety; 25(7):537-44
Papaioannides D., et al (2001). "Acute renal dysfunction associated with
selective COX-2 inhibitor therapy." International urology and
nephrology, 33(4):609-11.
Schwartz, JI., et al (2002) "Comparison of rofecoxib, celecoxib, and
naproxen on renal function in elderly subjects receiving a normal-salt
diet." Clinical pharmacology and therapeutics, 72(1):50-61
More
information about Celebrex renal failure:
http://my.webmd.com
“A woman who developed kidney failure after taking the popular arthritis
drug Vioxx has raised more questions about the safety of this and
similar drugs… ”
http://www.washingtonpost.com
“Vioxx and Celebrex are supposed to relieve pain, but their makers are
feeling plenty of pain. In recent months the top-selling arthritis drugs --
known as COX-2 inhibitors because they block the COX-2 enzyme, which
causes inflammation and thus pain -- have been associated with Celebrex renal failure, heart
problems, kidney damage…”
http://www.atla.org
“…The medical journal the Lancet published a study associating Vioxx
with kidney failure, and other studies have associated both Vioxx and
Celebrex with heart problems, kidney damage, aseptic meningitis, and
slow healing of bone fractures….”
http://www.nurseweek.com
“Toxic Alert – Many common drugs can damage kidney and liver. Although
often assumed to be safe, prescription and over-the-counter medications
can cause serious adverse reactions, especially in certain high-risk
populations. Acetaminophen (Tylenol) and ibuprofen (Advil), just two
categories of drugs that can cause adverse reactions, are ingredients in
more than 200 OTC and prescription drug preparations…”
Do I have a Celebrex renal failure case?
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Do I Have A Vioxx Case?