April 3, 2008, 09:15:00AM.

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Chicago, IL: A closer examination of the pain medication Celebrex is giving doctors cause for concern. The drug is showing the potential to cause serious health risks to those suffering from heart problems or at risk for such health conditions. Medical experts have recommended that doctors prescribing Celebrex prescribe it in the most miniscule doses possible for heart patients. The findings are based from six studies implemented by Pfizer. Analyses from all six studies have been placed together to come up with this conclusion.

The study has shown that people with a high risk for heart problems are the most vulnerable to heart issues when taking Celebrex. People with low to no potential for heart problems aren't at risk according to the studies. Before the findings of the studies came about a lot of people were concerned about the risks involved for all patients using Celebrex.

Celebrex belongs to a line of drugs that works as pain killers and is what is known as a cox-2 inhibitor. Its true usage is as a pain killer for arthritis patients. This is the same category the one time Vioxx was placed in. Vioxx was pulled from the market in 2004. The reason is it has been shown to pose double the regular risk of stroke and heart attack in users taking it for a prolonged period of time. Bextra which belongs in the same cox-2 inhibitor category was taken off the market as well because of potential health hazards.

The results of the studies show that heart risk is at a minimum when doses of Celebrex are in 400 milligram increments. This is if the drug is taken just once per day. Results showed highly elevated risks when taking the 400 milligram dosage twice per day. Health risks were tripled for patients that used the drug even just two times a day. No conclusions have been made as to whether dosages of less than 400 milligrams will eliminate severe risks. No tests have been conducted to come to a foregone conclusion.

However, future tests are being planned by a doctor at the Cleveland Clinic. The study will be conducted to find out the potential risk factor in lower dosages of Celebrex. The doctor that is conducting the study will be using randomized potential data. He believes this is the only way that the conclusive evidence as to the effects of lower dosages will be discovered. No trials for randomized trials controlled with a placebo exist at this time. The study is in place to remedy this lack of circumstantial proof about lower dosages and potential for harm or lack of potential for harm in patients. Most of the current testing analyzed Celebrex's potential to cause death from blood clots, cardiovascular death or related issues, heart failure or stroke. As the testing gets underway, more information is set to be released to the public as the study progresses.

By Delsia Hartford

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