For the treatment of tenderness, swelling and pain, the doctors prescribe usually Bextra (another name of this drug is Valdecoxib).
Bextra can heal the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis.
The COX-2 inhibitors is the name of a class of anti-inflammatory nonsteroidal drugs, including Bextra.
Arthritis pain and inflammation are caused by the action of COX-2 enzyme.
Bextra is used to block the action of this enzyme.
Like any other pill, taking Bextra may provoke various side effects like : heartburn, back pain, diarrhea, headache, upper respiratory infection, stomach pain and nausea.
But this side effects are not the only ones.
There were many cases of skin reactions like : exfoliative dermatitis, angioedema, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, erytherma multiforme, anaphylactic reactions or toxic epidermal necrolysis.
These side effects appeared usually on patients with allergic reactions to sulfonamides.
After Vioxx (a drug from the same class with Bextra - COX-2 inhibitors) was withdrew from sale, the company that produces Bextra discovered that there is a risk of heart attack and stroke when some patients with a heart bypass surgery who are taking Bextra.
There are also some investigations that shows that on patients that used Bextra the risk of an attack and stroke is double compared to the people that used placebo.
Studies revealed that patients with a coronary bypass graft surgery presents a risk of heart attacks and strokes three times greater when they are using Bextra.
Also the risk of an heart attack is 10% higher than normal with Celebrex, 23% higher with Vioxx and 53% higher with Bextra.
Celebrex, Vioxx and Bextra are part of the same class of drugs - COX-2 inhibitors.
Vioxx was withdrawn from the market since September 2004.
Before you start a treatment with a drug like Bextra you should discuss with your doctor about the risks and the benefits.