Dr. Mercola February 16 2005 922 views
One of the nation's largest managed care organizations, Kaiser Permanente, has made a request to pharmacies to discontinue dispensing the arthritis and pain drug Bextra. Tests of this drug, manufactured by Pfizer, have shown that it might increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
Bextra is third in line of recent painkillers linked to cardiac risks. First, Vioxx was pulled off the shelves last fall after its own testing revealed cardiac risks followed by Celebrex, which has also been linked to increased cardiac risks when taken in higher doses.
In many ways Kaiser is looked upon as a model for other health care providers. For this reason their decision to stop dispensing the drug Bextra could further the slump of its sales, which have already taken a plunge since studies disclosed its cardiac risks.
Kaiser doctors plan on continuing to prescribe Celebrex at low doses. Their justification was that it didn't seem to have the same health risks as Bextra or Vioxx.
Driving Factors Behind Discontinuing the Dispensing of Bextra
The two main reasons why Kaiser no longer wanted to be involved with dispensing the drug was safety and quality. Clinical trials have shown that Bextra was no more effective at alleviating pain than older medicines such as ibuprofen and diclofenac and in rare cases it has caused a fatal skin rash. Also, its claim that it is safer on the stomach than older medicine hasn't been founded in clinical trials.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has taken action by advising physicians to limit their prescriptions of Bextra and Celebrex in light of the studies that linked taking these drugs to an increased risk of heart attacks and stroke.
New York Times January 29, 2005
And the articles on the repercussions of the findings on popular anti-inflammatory drugs keep coming and coming. You may recall an article I recently ran on the dangerous side effects of Bextra.
I am grateful that some health care agencies are starting to pay attention to the warnings about COX-2 inhibitors -- a popular class of painkilling drugs with toxic effects. It appears the movement to transform the paradigm is making forward progress.
One of the most important ways to eliminate inflammation and chronic pain, is to eliminate sugar from your diet (for most of us this also includes all grains). This simple strategy alone may provide you with all the relief you need.
Another safe and powerful tool is to equalize the ratio of omega-3 and omega-6 fats in your daily diet. That's easily done by reducing your consumption of omega-6 fats from nearly all vegetable seed and nut oils and increasing your omega-3s by taking a high-quality fish or cod liver oil.
One reason for this is that the omega-3 fats EPA and DHA found in fish oil have been found, by many animal and clinical studies, to have anti-inflammatory properties that reduce joint inflammation and promote joint lubrication.
Those of you who read the newsletter regularly know that I'm a fan of Carlson's brand fish oil and cod liver oil as I have seen clear and often substantial improvements in my patients who use it. It has shown particularly positive benefits in those with rheumatoid arthritis. You can find the Carlson's fish oil/cod liver oil at your local health food store or, for your convenience, in my Recommended Products section; Your local health food store may also be very helpful in recommending any other trustworthy mercury free brands.
Meanwhile, I strongly urge you to read my recent article about the seven ways to protect your heart using anti-inflammatory alternatives for some other tips you can start trying out today.
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In Light of Vioxx, Bextra Getting A Closer Look
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Finally -- FDA Admits That ALL Anti-Inflammatories May Kill You
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Celebrex and Bextra's Risk Up -- Seven Alternatives To Bring Your Risk & Pain Down