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California Vioxx Lawyer

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Vioxx was the first drug in the new generation of COX-2 inhibitors, a series of anti-inflammatory drugs that are used to treat arthritis pain, acute pain in adults, and pain associated with menstrual cramps. COX-2 inhibitors were designed to relieve pain without the harmful side effects associated with some of the older medications. These older drugs generally involved COX-1 inhibition. COX-1, unlike COX-2, is responsible for the regulation of the molecules that protect the lining of the stomach. Inhibition of COX-1 could therefore lead to stomach problems.

Arthritis is the painful swelling of certain parts of the body. It most commonly occurs in heavily-used joints, such as the knee. Arthritis sufferers are forced to live with pain that can range from moderate to crippling. Vioxx was created to relieve this pain without any of the negative side effects that were well-known in the older medications. What Vioxx users were not informed of was the deadly side effects associated with this drug. Many users paid for this pharmaceutical error with their life.

Unfortunately, people who have taken the prescription drug Vioxx may be suffering from severe medical complications. In a study conducted by Merck and Company, it was proven that after 18 months of Vioxx use, some users suffered from heart attacks, strokes or deadly blood clots. By some estimates, heart disease struck some 80,000 people. Of these, an estimated 30,000 people may have died from the use of Vioxx.

Before Vioxx was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 1999, the University of Pennsylvania reported a study they conducted that suggested a link between heart attack and the chronic use of Vioxx. The drug was still passed and given to the public for consumption.

Worldwide, an estimated 84 million people used Vioxx. It took five years for Vioxx to be recalled worldwide. During this five year time period, Vioxx made up 12 percent of Merck and Company's yearly revenue, generating $ 2.5 billion in profit.

Side effects associated with Vioxx use include heart attack, stroke and blood clots. There are several other life-threatening side effects that Vioxx users have suffered from. Vioxx use has caused stomach and intestinal bleeding. Allergic reactions have occurred including the swelling of the face, throat, tongue and lips. Swelling in these areas can cause a person to have difficulty breathing or trouble when swallowing. Vioxx has been linked to the worsening of chronic kidney failure and has caused acute kidney failure. Liver problems have also occurred in people taking the prescription drug Vioxx. Symptoms of liver problems include pain in the upper-part of the right abdomen, flu-like symptoms, itching, tiredness and nausea. Some Vioxx users suffered from less severe complications, such as swelling in the legs and feet, stomach pain, heartburn, back pain, urinary tract infections, tiredness and high blood pressure. Any of these side effects, whether severe or moderate, can cause hospitalization or result in death if left untreated.

If you are a resident of California and have suffered because of medical complications associated with the use of Vioxx, contact an attorney. Citizens deserve their just compensation when they are so negligently put into harm's way. Concerns of Vioxx use were made even before the drug's approval. Sadly, though, the drug was still passed.