Independent Nurse: Celecoxib as likely to cause MI as rofecoxib.

MYOCARDIAL infarction; CYCLOOXYGENASE 2 inhibitors; CELECOXIB; META-analysis; CARDIOVASCULAR disease related mortality; CEREBROVASCULAR disease

This article reports on a meta-analysis of four studies, which found that the COX-2 inhibitor celecoxib increases the risk of myocardial infarction (MI) as much as the withdrawn drug rofecoxib. The analysis compared the risk of MI, cardiovascular events, cardiovascular deaths and stroke in 4,422 patients taking either celecoxib or placebo. The drug more than doubled the risk of MI, but did not affect stroke or other cardiovascular risks. A second analysis of 12,780 patients compared celecoxib with placebo, diclofenac, ibuprofen and paracetamol.