WebMD Story
What are your takes on this new study??
Stacey,
Sheesh, dueling doctors leave us with such differing opinions that make the issue as clear as mud! For me though, not taking anti-oxidents now and have no plans to...I think one of the doctors quoted said it is a simple decision...a pill won't solve the problem. Below is an article from my hometown newspaper. I don't know how to just hook you up with the link so I had to copy. My husband just had hand surgery Celebrex was the recommended pain med. He has had a heart attack and is on heart meds. I guess the answer is just to stay informed...
New Advice Steers Doctors from Celebrex-like Drugs
Anti-inflammatories seen as increasing risk of heart attack, stroke
Published on 2/28/2007 in Home Health & Science Health & Science Wire
The American Heart Association advised doctors Tuesday to change the way they prescribe anti-inflammatory medications, such as Pfizer Inc.'s Celebrex, for patients with heart disease because the drugs can increase the risk of heart attacks and stroke.
The Dallas-based heart association is instead recommending that physicians start with physical therapy, exercise, weight loss and heat or cold therapy for those patients suffering from chronic pain. Celebrex, a multibillion-dollar blockbuster drug produced by Pfizer, is a popular medication for those suffering from arthritis-related inflammation and pain.
The heart association said there is accumulated evidence that such anti-inflammatory pain medications, called nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, increase the risk of heart attack and stroke.
The new recommendations were published Tuesday in the journal of the American Heart Association.
Shares of Pfizer fell nearly 3 percent Tuesday to close the day's trading at $25.14 during a particularly gloomy day on Wall Street.
Dr. Elliott M. Antman, the lead author of the heart association's statement on the pain drugs, said if nondrug treatments do not provide enough pain relief, physicians should take into account the patient's overall history and consider acetaminophen, such as Tylenol, aspirin or short-term use of narcotic analgesics. Common examples of such analgesics are prescription-strength Tylenol or Percocet.
Antman, a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, said if further relief were needed, doctors should use the least selective COX 2 inhibitors first.
All (COX 2) drugs should be used at the lowest dose necessary to control symptoms, and prescribed for the shortest term possible, he said.
New York-based Pfizer disputed the findings, saying the association oversimplified treatments and could confuse patients by suggesting alternatives, such as taking narcotic analgesics.
For many arthritis patients, choosing no medication is not an option, Pfizer said in a prepared statement. For millions of arthritis patients, Celebrex is an important treatment option.
Pfizer said it is important that patients consult a physician in order to individually assess their risk-benefit profile for any anti-inflammatory drug treatment. The drug company added that all nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs excluding aspirin carry the same cardiovascular warning.
Pfizer is a leading employer in southeastern Connecticut, employing about 5,000 at its New London and Groton campuses. Last year, Celebrex rang up global sales of about $2 billion, and Pfizer officials expect robust sales this year as well.
Celebrex, introduced by Pfizer in 1998, is called a COX 2 inhibitor drug because it inhibits certain enzymes produced during the body's inflammatory response. COX 2 drugs gained popularity because they typically didn't create stomach distress associated with other anti-inflammatory drugs. Aspirin, for instance, can cause ulcers based on long-term use.
The entire COX 2 class of anti-inflammatory drugs came under fire in 2004 because of worries over increased cardiovascular risks. The leading anti-inflammatory pain medication, Merck & Co.'s Vioxx, was pulled from the shelves in 2004 because of such concerns.
A year later, Pfizer agreed to withdraw its Bextra COX 2 pain drug after federal regulatory authorities warned of cardiovascular-related side effects, as well as a rare but serious skin condition. Federal regulators also required Pfizer in 2005 to put a stern black box label on Celebrex warning of cardiovascular side effects.
The American Heart Association said multiple studies have shown an increased risk of cardiovascular-disease complications from COX 2 anti-inflammatory drugs for those who suffer from heart disease, or even those at risk for heart disease.
We believe that some physicians have been prescribing the new COX 2 inhibitors as the first line of treatment, Antman said. We are turning that around and saying that, for chronic pain in patients with known heart disease or who are at risk for heart disease, these drugs should be the last line of treatment.
Sheesh, dueling doctors leave us with such differing opinions that make the issue as clear as mud! For me though, not taking anti-oxidents now and have no plans to...I think one of the doctors quoted said it is a simple decision...a pill won't solve the problem. Below is an article from my hometown newspaper. I don't know how to just hook you up with the link so I had to copy. My husband just had hand surgery Celebrex was the recommended pain med. He has had a heart attack and is on heart meds. I guess the answer is just to stay informed...
New Advice Steers Doctors from Celebrex-like Drugs
Anti-inflammatories seen as increasing risk of heart attack, stroke
Published on 2/28/2007 in Home Health & Science Health & Science Wire
The American Heart Association advised doctors Tuesday to change the way they prescribe anti-inflammatory medications, such as Pfizer Inc.'s Celebrex, for patients with heart disease because the drugs can increase the risk of heart attacks and stroke.
The Dallas-based heart association is instead recommending that physicians start with physical therapy, exercise, weight loss and heat or cold therapy for those patients suffering from chronic pain. Celebrex, a multibillion-dollar blockbuster drug produced by Pfizer, is a popular medication for those suffering from arthritis-related inflammation and pain.
The heart association said there is accumulated evidence that such anti-inflammatory pain medications, called nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, increase the risk of heart attack and stroke.
The new recommendations were published Tuesday in the journal of the American Heart Association.
Shares of Pfizer fell nearly 3 percent Tuesday to close the day's trading at $25.14 during a particularly gloomy day on Wall Street.
Dr. Elliott M. Antman, the lead author of the heart association's statement on the pain drugs, said if nondrug treatments do not provide enough pain relief, physicians should take into account the patient's overall history and consider acetaminophen, such as Tylenol, aspirin or short-term use of narcotic analgesics. Common examples of such analgesics are prescription-strength Tylenol or Percocet.
Antman, a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, said if further relief were needed, doctors should use the least selective COX 2 inhibitors first.
All (COX 2) drugs should be used at the lowest dose necessary to control symptoms, and prescribed for the shortest term possible, he said.
New York-based Pfizer disputed the findings, saying the association oversimplified treatments and could confuse patients by suggesting alternatives, such as taking narcotic analgesics.
For many arthritis patients, choosing no medication is not an option, Pfizer said in a prepared statement. For millions of arthritis patients, Celebrex is an important treatment option.
Pfizer said it is important that patients consult a physician in order to individually assess their risk-benefit profile for any anti-inflammatory drug treatment. The drug company added that all nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs excluding aspirin carry the same cardiovascular warning.
Pfizer is a leading employer in southeastern Connecticut, employing about 5,000 at its New London and Groton campuses. Last year, Celebrex rang up global sales of about $2 billion, and Pfizer officials expect robust sales this year as well.
Celebrex, introduced by Pfizer in 1998, is called a COX 2 inhibitor drug because it inhibits certain enzymes produced during the body's inflammatory response. COX 2 drugs gained popularity because they typically didn't create stomach distress associated with other anti-inflammatory drugs. Aspirin, for instance, can cause ulcers based on long-term use.
The entire COX 2 class of anti-inflammatory drugs came under fire in 2004 because of worries over increased cardiovascular risks. The leading anti-inflammatory pain medication, Merck & Co.'s Vioxx, was pulled from the shelves in 2004 because of such concerns.
A year later, Pfizer agreed to withdraw its Bextra COX 2 pain drug after federal regulatory authorities warned of cardiovascular-related side effects, as well as a rare but serious skin condition. Federal regulators also required Pfizer in 2005 to put a stern black box label on Celebrex warning of cardiovascular side effects.
The American Heart Association said multiple studies have shown an increased risk of cardiovascular-disease complications from COX 2 anti-inflammatory drugs for those who suffer from heart disease, or even those at risk for heart disease.
We believe that some physicians have been prescribing the new COX 2 inhibitors as the first line of treatment, Antman said. We are turning that around and saying that, for chronic pain in patients with known heart disease or who are at risk for heart disease, these drugs should be the last line of treatment.
Stacey,
Probably eating a varied and healthy diet (not that I do) is better in the long run than loading up on any one supplement.
My soon-to-be ex has been taking antioxidants like crazy and I'm not going to forward that link to him, LOL.
Is this bad for my karma?
Love,
Gina
Probably eating a varied and healthy diet (not that I do) is better in the long run than loading up on any one supplement.
My soon-to-be ex has been taking antioxidants like crazy and I'm not going to forward that link to him, LOL.
Is this bad for my karma?
Love,
Gina
These reports come out every so often. In order to put hings in perspective, one has to take into account WHO is doing the study..
The majority of the Medical community supply's medicines ( not supplements ) and has a "take care of the symptoms" attitude. Pharmacological groups provide the medicines to do so...Check the study to see if a pharmacology group did the study.
The pharmacological groups are pitted against the homeopathic because if everyone treated their aches pains and illnesses holistically..theyd go out of business.
Funny that the only 2 this "Dr" says he will advise his patients to avoid is A and E...both fat soluble Vitamins...and yes, if you had a dormant cancer lying undiscovered in your body....either or combination of HIGH doses could make this cancer grow....it doesn't know the difference between good and bad cells..but even that study has been debated on and off for years because no one would take the amount of A or E they say causes the growth of dormant cancers or tumors ( cancerous OR benign)
As i said A and E are two of the fat soluble vitamins so most that are informed KNOW that too high a dose would stay in their body and cant be excreted the way the water soluble vitamins can...
ADEK are the fat solubles you have to make sure you do not take more then the S.R.D.D.
For every negative report like this, i can show you a hundred that says its nonsense...again...check to see who is funding the study. Bet your bottom dollar that its a pharmacology company funding this one..
Thats my take on it..
A
P.S. I just read a study that Celebrex can help prevent Alzheimers from getting worse- buying years of cognitive thinking patient would otherwise not have..
It really is a case of buyer beware...do your own research and take into account who wrote that research..
The majority of the Medical community supply's medicines ( not supplements ) and has a "take care of the symptoms" attitude. Pharmacological groups provide the medicines to do so...Check the study to see if a pharmacology group did the study.
The pharmacological groups are pitted against the homeopathic because if everyone treated their aches pains and illnesses holistically..theyd go out of business.
Funny that the only 2 this "Dr" says he will advise his patients to avoid is A and E...both fat soluble Vitamins...and yes, if you had a dormant cancer lying undiscovered in your body....either or combination of HIGH doses could make this cancer grow....it doesn't know the difference between good and bad cells..but even that study has been debated on and off for years because no one would take the amount of A or E they say causes the growth of dormant cancers or tumors ( cancerous OR benign)
As i said A and E are two of the fat soluble vitamins so most that are informed KNOW that too high a dose would stay in their body and cant be excreted the way the water soluble vitamins can...
ADEK are the fat solubles you have to make sure you do not take more then the S.R.D.D.
For every negative report like this, i can show you a hundred that says its nonsense...again...check to see who is funding the study. Bet your bottom dollar that its a pharmacology company funding this one..
Thats my take on it..
A
P.S. I just read a study that Celebrex can help prevent Alzheimers from getting worse- buying years of cognitive thinking patient would otherwise not have..
It really is a case of buyer beware...do your own research and take into account who wrote that research..
