Vioxx-Like Risks Linked to Another Pain Pill

Article in today’s Los Angeles Times — Vioxx-Like Risks Linked to Another Pain Pill, by Denise Gellene:

    The widely used pain reliever diclofenac poses the same cardiovascular risk as
    the withdrawn drug Vioxx and should not be used by people with heart disease
    or high blood pressure, researchers reported Tuesday.

    Diclofenac, an older drug sold as Cataflam or Voltaren, increased patients’ chance
    of heart attack by 40%, according to an analysis of 23 clinical studies — the same
    risk observed in patients who took low doses of Vioxx.

    The report was released early by the Journal of the American Medical Assn. because
    of its health implications.