The FDA approved Pfizer’s arthritis drug Bextra in November 2001. Bextra quickly gained popularity as patients sought it not just for arthritis but for things like migraine headaches, acute pain, menstrual cramps and other symptoms, with minimal Bextra side effects.
Bextra’s “minimal” side effects were not as benign as patients were led to believe.
Popular, but problematic
Soon, however, the Bextra side effects were not as benign as patients were led to believe.
In 2004, a study showed that combining Bextra with a low dose of aspirin causes any reduced Bextra side effects to be lost completely.
While the benefit of using Bextra has been questioned, especially since it was specifically designed to have a much lower ulcer risk, the study caused concerns greater than just gastrointestinal effects.
Evidence indicates that Bextra side effects may also include increased risk of heart disease.
