Vioxx's heart attack risk under the microscope
Vioxx was taken off the market years ago based on a connection to heart attacks and related ailments. Soon thereafter, pain drugs in general were under the proverbial microscope to ensure heart problems were not side effects of trying to get rid of pain.The latest on why Vioxx apparently caused heart problems in many patients now states that the prescription drug raises the production of a protein called tissue factor (TF) -- and that can contribute to unwanted blood clotting.
Blood clotting can turns into blockages, causing heart attacks. Although the percentage can be low (in terms of patients seeing heart problems), was it right to take Vioxx off the market? One death positively attributed to a prescription drug is enough, right? Or, wrong?
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