Med News Today

Vioxx Dangers Happen Earlier Than Thought, Says New Study

Researchers report that heart risks from the withdrawn painkiller Vioxx occur much earlier than had been expectec. Twenty-five percent of heart attacks occurred within the first two weeks of use, a new study found.

A new study led by Queen's University researcher Linda Lévesque shows that heart attacks related to the use of Vioxx -- a drug once popular for the treatment of pain and inflammation -- can occur within the first two weeks of use.

A quarter of patients who suffered a heart attack while taking Vioxx did so within the first two weeks of their first Vioxx prescription, said Lévesque, of Queen's Department of Community Health and Epidemiology.

"This demonstrates that cardiovascular risks from taking Vioxx may occur much earlier than previously believed," she said. Conducted with McGill University researchers James Brophy and Bin Zhang, the findings appear on-line in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.

posted by nattietodd @ 2:49 AM