Celobrex, also known as celecoxib, is a prescription medication used to treat rheumatoid arthritis and to reduce the number of intestinal polyps in patients with familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP).
Concerns have been raised with regard to celebrex's impact on cardiovascular health, including an increased risk for stroke or heart attack, and even sudden death.
While previously published information about Celebrex indicated it was easier on the GI tract than other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), it was learned that Pharmacia, the manufacturer of Celebrex, failed to disclose all of its research data.
A study from the Cleveland Clinic appearing in the Journal of the American Medical Association revealed that the annual rates of heart attack Celebrex studies were increased. In those studies, .52% of patients taking an inactive placebo pill had a heart attack each year. The annual rate of heart attack was .80% for those taking celecoxib.