A recent study published in the November issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology finds that cox-2 inhibitors, typically used to relieve arthritis pain in patients, are more dangerous than their cox-1 counterparts and may increase the risk of heart attack and stroke.
The study of 8,852 people in Spain and Italy found that the risk of heart attack in people with the greatest cox-2 activity rose 60 percent, compared to 18 percent for those taking cox-1 inhibitors, HealthDay News reports.
Vioxx and Bextra, two cox-2 inhibitor nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, were pulled off the market because of their connection with heart attack and stroke. However, Celebrex, a third cox-2 inhibitor is still available, with warnings of cardiovascular risk.
“What [the study authors] dont account for is the rise in blood pressure,” Dr. Michael E. Farkouh, director of clinical trials at the Mount Sinai Cardiovascular Institute in New York City, told the news provider. “Drugs that raise blood pressure are the most toxic.”
He added that the authors have not addressed how long these drugs stay in a patients system.
Herbal supplements such as capsaicin, the active component in chile peppers, have been shown to relieve arthritis pain in some patients. 