May 11, 2006 – According to a new study1 conducted at McGill University in Montreal, the anti-inflammatory Vioxx could cause a myocardial infarction within the first two weeks of treatment.
This study therefore indicates that the risks of cardiovascular problems appear much earlier than what has been admitted until now. The pharmaceutical company Merck withdrew Vioxx from the market in September 2004 because the risk of heart attack and stroke was increased in those who had used it for 18 months or more.
The new study aimed to assess how long it takes before the cardiovascular risks associated with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) appear. The results are based on data on 125,000 Quebecers who used NSAIDs from 1999 to 2002.
Only Vioxx users were at risk of having a myocardial infarction on average nine days after starting NSAID treatment. Curiously, this risk was reduced in the first month of treatment, according to the results obtained.
Martin LaSalle – PasseportSanté.net
According to The Globe and Mail.
1. Lévesque LE, Brophy JM, Zhang B. Time variations in the risk of myocardial infarction among elderly users of COX-2 inhibitors, Journal of the Canadian Medical Association (CMAJ / JAMC), May 2, 2006, pre-published on the Internet. The full study is available at www.cmaj.ca [consulté le 9 mai 2006].
