Bextra and
Primary Dysmenorrhea
 FREE Case Review
|
| For sufferers of the menstrual condition known as primary dysmenorrhea, the drug Bextra seemed to be a miracle when introduced to the market in 2001. Bextra is a Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug (NSAID) that falls into the “COX-2 Inhibitor” category and is used to mainly treat the problems associated with inflammation. The drug successfully blocked the production of prostaglandins through the inhibition of the cyclooxygenase (COX-2) enzyme. By inhibiting COX-2, and consequently prostaglandin production, pain and inflammation was reduced.
Characterized by abdominal pain during menstruation that is not attributable to any other underlying cause, primary dysmenorrhea can be severe enough to interfere with everyday activities, and NSAIDs were praised for alleviating some of the intense physical suffering. However, though Bextra helped reduce the pain and inflammation due to cramping, long range studies revealed that COX-2 inhibitors caused increases in heart attacks and strokes, and Bextra in particular caused allergic reactions in the skin of some patients. The emergence of these types of side effects led the FDA to ask Pfizer to remove the medication from the market in April 2005.
|
