Vioxx Heart Attack and Stroke Lawsuits

Vioxx (rofecoxib), as a recent study financed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration shows, can make a patient up to three (3) times more likely to suffer a heart attack and can also increase the risk of stroke and excessive bleeding. Merck & Co., the makers of Vioxx, have announced that they are pulling Vioxx because of these risks. Merck & Co.'s arthritis drug Vioxx may have led to more than 27,000 cases of heart attack and sudden cardiac death (SCD), or cardiac arrest, before it was pulled from the market. Vioxx is a non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), and is in a class of drugs commonly referred to as a "COX-2 inhibitors." COX-2 inhibitors include Vioxx, Celebrex and Bextra.

Vioxx Drug Study

Merck said that data from the trial showed the increased risk of heart attack and other cardiovascular complications began 18 months after patients started taking Vioxx. The data comes from a three-year study aimed at showing that Vioxx, at a 25 milligram dose, prevents recurrence of polyps in the colon and rectum. The trial was stopped after Merck discovered the higher heart risk compared to patients taking a placebo.

Vioxx Side Effects

In addition to heart attacks and strokes, side effects of Vioxx include other potential life-threatening side effects including blood clots, angina and nonbacterial meningitis, severe intestinal damage, ulcerations and bleeding, and kidney damage. While these can be serious complications from Vioxx usage, The Willis Law Firm is only accepting heart attack, stroke and sudden cardiac death cases at this time.