According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication or NSAIDS, celebrex or celecoxib, produces an effect by temporarily relieving pain and inflammation. The drug blocks the creation of the chemical, prostaglandin, in the body, and falls under the category of a Cox-2 inhibitor. The FDA describes this substance, prostaglandin, as one connected with production of pain and inflammation.
Conditions Treated by Celebrex
The physician prescribes Celebrex for conditions with pain and inflammation. Some of the common conditions treated by Celebrex include menstrual cramps, skin conditions, osteoarthritis, ankylosing spondylitis or a condition of the spine and rheumatoid arthritis. Celebrex is an excellent analgesic for treating pain. In the "Journal Cancer Prevention Research," Raymond DuBois, a cancer researcher, found the drug also reduces the number of rectal polyps in some people. These polyps produce cancer in susceptible individuals.
Older Non-steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs
According to the journal, "Medical Surgical Nursing," the Cox-2 inhibitor, a newer generation of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, arose from the discovery of two pathways for blocking prostaglandin. The older NSAIDS of aspirin, ibuprofen and naproxen belong to Cox-1 inhibitors. These older NSAIDS block the prostaglandin and reduces pain and inflammation, but also causes gastrointestinal bleeding, abdominal pain, stomach and clumping of platelets or blood clotting.
Newer Class of Non-steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs
The Celebrex, belonging to the newer class of drugs, called Cox 2, mainly, blocks the pain, swelling and inflammation actions of the prostaglandin. The newer, Cox-2 drug, Celebrex, produces this extraordinary characteristic on the body. This quality sets the drug apart from other drugs for pain and inflammation. The "Journal of Family Practice" in 2000 reported the efficacy of the Celebrex in treating arthritis pain.
Common Side Effects Associated with Celebrex
As with any medication, Celebrex demonstrated some side effects during clinical trials and in data collection after the trials. The side effects included the problem of allergic reaction producing skin rash, hives or swelling of the face, lips or tongue. Celebrex contains sulfonamides and individuals sensitive to sulfonamides should avoid the drug. Individuals with allergy to aspirin avoid Celebrex as well due to the possibility of an acute asthma episode. The allergic reaction requires immediate treatment by a health care professional. Bloody stools, problems with balance, or blood in the urine fall under the list of other serious adverse effects needing professional attention.
Cardiovascular Side Effects of Associated with Celebrex
Pfizer highlights the possible association of the Celebrex to an increase in occurrence of heart attacks or strokes. The cardiovascular effects of the drug, uncovered in 2005, remain the main drawback to taking the drug. The researcher, Raymond DuBois, reported in the journal, "Cancer Prevention Research," that Celebrex causes heart attacks and strokes. He discusses the original release of the 2005 research results on cancer prevention studies that showed the adverse events of heart attacks and strokes for the first time. Since NSAIDS show an effect of reducing cancer, Dr. Dubois suggests that investigators on NSAIDs need to return to the bench and further study NSAIDS for safer drugs.
References
- Health Line: Celecoxib Oral Capsules
- Pfizer: About Celebrix
- "Medical Surgical Nursing"; The new NSAIDS: Cox-2 Inhibitors; Teri Capriotti; 2000
- "Cancer Prevention Research"; Insight from Adenoma Prevention; Raymond DuBois; 2009
