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Painkiller Side Effects Get Worse |
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Bad news just got a little worse for users of a popular painkiller. According to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, using Vioxx can raise a person's risk of suffering kidney damage. The study, conducted by researchers at Harvard Medical School, comes on the heels of research showing that Vioxx users also suffer an increased heart arrhythmia risk. As a result of the increased scrutiny, Vioxx's manufacturer Merck has been bombarded with more than 11,000 liability lawsuits from users. The Food and Drug Administration has yet to officially weigh in on either side of the controversy.
What This Means for You - In a separate Journal of the American Medical Association study, researchers warned that heart damage from taking Vioxx may develop within the first 30 days of treatment, rather than after 18 months as previously believed. If you have been a Vioxx user for any period of time, keep careful record of the length of your use and any symptoms you've experienced.
October 1, 2006
Journal of the American Medical Association
http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/296.13.jrv60011v1 |
