Celebrex and Vioxx are popular and heavily advertised arthritis drugs commonly referred to as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs(NSAIDS). Based on an analysis of data from previous clinical trials, physicians/researchers from the Cleveland Clinic identified an increase in the risk of what the study refers to as "serious thrombotic ("thrombotic" refers to the development of blood clots in blood vessels) cardiovascular adverse events," including heart attack, stroke and sudden and unexplained death. The product of the study's analysis was published in the August issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. The Cleveland Clinic physicians who conducted the study state that they have tried unsuccessfully to have the manufacturers of these drugs look into these concerns further. Meanwhile consumers remain at risk of heart attack and stroke.

Vioxx and Celebrex are classified as COX-2 inhibitors. COX-2 inhibitors, like older NSAID drugs such as ibuprofen and naproxen, work to decrease swelling in effected joints. However, unlike older NSAIDs that also caused irritation to the lining of the stomach by inhibiting the Cox-1 enzyme, it is theorized that COX-2 inhibitors only block the COX-2 enzyme, leaving the stomach-protecting COX-1 alone. Recently published data calls the beneficial advantages of these drugs into question as well and raises new questions of "serious cardiovascular events" related to this class of drugs.