What Is Vioxx?
Basic information about the drug

Vioxx is a brand name for the drug known generically as rofecoxib.

Vioxx is one of a class of drugs known as COX-2 (or sometimes just COX2) inhibitors, part of a larger group of pain-relieving drugs known as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Familiar drugs like ibuprofen are NSAIDs. NSAIDs are used for general pain management but are particularly useful for ongoing conditions like arthritis and bursitis.

NSAIDs in general work by inhibiting the production of prostaglandins. This is done by blocking an enzyme called cyclooxygenase, or COX. By reducing the production of prostaglandins, NSAIDs reduce swelling and inflammation, thereby reducing pain.

As it turns out, there are two types of cyclooxygenase, referred to as COX-1 and COX-2. Traditional NSAIDs like ibuprofen work by primarily blocking COX-1 enzymes. Newer NSAIDs like Vioxx work by primarily blocking COX-2 enzymes. Blocking these enzymes reduces the production of different prostaglandin types.

The problem is that prostaglandins have important roles to play in your body, for example by helping to line the stomach with a protective fluid. If you interfere with the production of prostaglandins, you interfere with certain body functions and this leads to undesirable side effects. This is why stomach upset, stomach irritation and ulcers are common side-effects of using NSAIDs.

COX-1 is more important in the production of the prostaglandins that protect the stomach lining than COX-2. Thus COX-2 inhibitors like Vioxx are less likely to cause stomach-related side effects. This is why they have been so popular with sufferers of long-term conditions like arthritis.

Next Question: Should I be worried about Vioxx?

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