Also known under the name of valdecoxib, Bextra is used in the treatment of pain, swelling, and tenderness, caused by osteoarthritis and adult rheumatoid arthritis.
This drug belongs to a class of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications, which are named COX-2 inhibitors. Bextra's role is to block the action of the COX-2 enzyme, because it is known that inflammation and arthritis pain are caused by that enzyme's action.

There are side effects that Bextra produces. We can mention a few of them: back pain, headache, stomach pain, diarrhea, nausea, upper respiratory infection, and heartburn, but it is good to know that these are not all the side effects this drug can provoke.
There are also known some hypersensitivity reactions and skin reactions that appeared in postmarketing experience. We can include here anaphylactic reactions and angioedema as hypersensitivity reactions, and skin reactions like toxic epidermal necrolysis, exfoliative dermatitis, erythema multiforme, and cases of Stevens-Johnson syndrome.
Among these cases, some were really serious, and they occurred in some patients that had history of allergic reactions to sulfonamides, but also in others that hadn't.

Soon after Vioxx, a similar cox-2 inhibitor was withdrew from the market because it was shown that it increases the risk of cardiovascular events, the Bextra's producer discovered that some heart bypass surgery patients taking Bextra presented increased risk of heart attack and stroke.

Some scientists performed investigations and they reached the conclusion that among the patients that used Bextra the number of heart attacks and strokes was more than double compared to the group of patients that used a placebo.

Bextra is responsible of some other side-effects too. It was found that this drug triples the incidence of heart attack and stroke in coronary bypass graft surgery patients.
Studies revealed that Bextra, and other cox-2 inhibitors - Celebrex and Vioxx develop an increased risk of heart attack or stroke in patients that are using them. The results of the studies, determined that patients using Bextra have a risk of heart attack 53% higher than normal, 23% higher have the patients that take Vioxx, and 19% higher then normal have those who take Celebrex.

Vioxx is no longer for sale, it was recalled in September 2004, and in April 2005, it was decided that Bextra must be withdrawn, because the risks this drug provoke are much to big than the potential benefit.

It is very important to contact your doctor if you think you are experiencing side effects because of Bextra. You should also discuss with your doctor about this drug, about the risks that may occur, and about the benefits this drug can bring.
If you experienced very serious and grave side effects, you can ask help from a lawyer, and he will help you to protect your rights and get compensations from the drug producer.