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How Safe Are Other Pain Relievers?

Posting Date: 04/04/2005

?He was taking Mobic prescribed by his internist after a minor car accident. My vibrant and healthy husband, father of two little girls who were 3 and 7 years old at the time, had excellent blood pressure, no cholesterol problems and was not overweight.

?Please help me get the word out about the dangers of this drug. I am in the process of reporting his death to the FDA. My daughters and I miss their father daily.?

While it is impossible to determine whether Mobic caused this cardiac arrest, some warning flags are flying. FDA safety officer, David Graham, MD, reported preliminary findings that Mobic may also increase the risk of heart attacks.

The manufacturer of Mobic maintains it has not seen problems. Dr. Graham is the first to admit that a single study is not enough to tell whether a drug carries unacceptable hazards. But there is growing concern that many of the new anti-inflammatory drugs may require patients to make difficult decisions.

It can be hard to weigh the chance of stomach ulcers against the possibility of a heart attack.

Until these issues are resolved, Americans might want to follow Australian guidelines for the use of these drugs. They call for heart patients to avoid COX-2 inhibitors and others to take them for the shortest time needed.

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Joe Graedon is a pharmacologist. Teresa Graedon holds a doctorate in medical anthropology and is a nutrition expert. Their syndicated radio show can be heard on public radio. In their column, Joe and Teresa Graedon answer letters from readers. Write to them in care of this newspaper or e-mail them via their Web site: www.PeoplesPharmacy.org.