Finding a Bextra lawyer
If you decide to file a Bextra lawsuit, you can review credentials and experience of individual law firms by searching on the Web. You can often submit details of your case via the Internet, allowing law firms to evaluate your case and then contact you. Check your local phone directory for Bextra lawyers. Try to find a lawyer that has experience working with Bextra litigation. They will already have an established network of resources and contact that should help to process your case more quickly.
How Bextra Works
Bextra belongs to a new class of drugs called COX-2 inhibitors. These are newly developed drugs for inflammation that selectively block the COX-2 enzyme. Blocking this enzyme impedes the production of the chemical messengers that cause the pain and swelling of arthritis inflammation. Cox-2 inhibitors are a new class of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Because they selectively block the COX-2 enzyme and not the COX-1 enzyme, these drugs are uniquely different from traditional NSAIDs such as asprin, ibuprofen, naxopren, piroxicam, or nabumetone.
Bextra and the FDA
Bextra stroke, heart attack, and fatal skin condition risks were among the most serious side effects which prompted the Bextra recall. Bextra enjoyed about a three year stay on the market before being pulled from the shelves, yet knowledge of its serious side effects began surfacing soon after its 2001 FDA approval. As early as 2002, the FDA requested that Pfizer add stronger warnings to its Bextra labeling about serious skin side effects.
What are the alternatives for people who no longer have access to Bextra?
Both Vioxx and Bextra have been taken off the market, leaving arthritis patients confused about how to safely get effective pain relief while protecting their hearts and stomachs. According to a new study, the majority of arthritis patients may be advised to use a combination of two drugs - a non-COX-2 pain reliever like Aleve, Advil or Motrin and a gastro-protective medicine like Prilosec or Nexium. Some experts believe this drug combination may have always been the best solution.
Side effects of Bextra
In addition to potential cardiovascular risks, there are other serious Bextra safety issues that have been well known for some time. Bextra safety is compromised in patients who are taking other medications such as aspirin, anti-convulsants, warfarin, and oral contraceptives. The most serious well established Bextra safety risk is the potential development of serious skin diseases.