Celebrex - an overview
Celebrex, active ingredient celecoxib, is part of the family of drugs known as NSAIDs. It helps to reduce the hormones in the body that affect pain and inflammation within the body.
Celebrex is often prescribed to treat inflammation and/or pain that is caused by conditions that include ankylosing spondylitis, arthritis and painful menstruation. It can also be used to treat colon polyps that are hereditary.
The maker
Pfizer Inc. is the maker of Celebrex.
What it does
Celebrex belongs to the family of NSAID drugs known as COX-2 inhibitors. These work to block the enzyme that partly causes inflammation and pain. Other NSAIDs work to target the COX-2 and COX-1 enzymes, but Celebrex targets on the COX-2 enzyme because the COX-1 helps to protect the stomach lining.
Secondary effects
Celebrex is often prescribed to treat rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis and other kinds of painful problems. The FDA has recently warned that Celebrex has negative side effects on those that take this medication for long amounts of time.
The National Cancer Institute sponsored a study that found that those taking 400 mg to 800 mg of Celebrex daily had an increased risk for heart attack. Also preliminary long term study results by the National Institute of Health have found similar Celebrex risks. The FDA has also reported a link between Celebrex and liver damage, bleeding ulcers of the stomach , fluid retention and kidney failure.
At this time, the FDA has determined that the benefits of this medication are greater than the risk of secondary effects, providing that doctors select patients properly and let all of their patients know the dangers of this medication. Essentially, the danger of heart attack from Celebrex was not high enough to warrant pulling the plug on this medication for now.
Generic forms
Celebrex's first patent will expire in May of 2014. At first it was thought that it would expire in 2013, but Pfizer was given an extension to do some necessary research on children. At this time, May of 2014 is the earliest predicted time that generic forms of this medication would be available.