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At one point or another, we will all experience some form of joint pain. Sometimes specific injuries or just plain aches and pains prevent us from living our lives as fully as we would like, but when the pain becomes chronic, doctors must seek to treat our suffering with every available means at their disposal. For years, they turned to pain relievers called Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs, or NSAIDs, to both relieve pain and reduce inflammation caused by injury, accident, or stress. Unfortunately, when these conditions persisted more than a few weeks, patients undergoing NSAID treatment often experienced severe stomach discomfort and even intestinal bleeding and ulcers.
Doctors soon isolated the enzyme that caused painful inflammation from the enzyme that prevented stomach acid from causing gastrointestinal distress. The so-called “COX-2 Inhibitor” such as Bextra relieved the agony of joint pain without causing the potentially fatal stomach ulcers and intestinal bleeding common with older, nonselective NSAIDs. Unfortunately, COX-2 Inhibitors posed an increased risk of cardiovascular dangers such as stroke and heart attack. Furthermore, users of Bextra exhibited higher rates of potentially fatal allergic reactions of the skin and underlying tissues. These factors led the Food and Drug Administration to recommend the removal of Bextra from the market in April 2005.
If you suffered the negative side effects of Bextra during treatment of your joint pain, you may be entitled to collect damages. A consultation with a lawyer with experience in pharmaceutical legislation is crucial to building a successful case. Don’t hesitate, for statutes of limitations could expire, potentially ending your case before it begins. Contact an experienced Bextra attorney today.
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