Celebrex generic

A powerful nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), Celebrex or Celecoxib helps in reducing the pain, tenderness, stiffness caused by arthritis, menstrual cramps, inflammation (swelling), and colonic polyps.

Medications and Prescriptions

Generic name: Celecoxib

Product Brand Name: Celebrex ®

1. Description: Celebrex like other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) reduce tenderness, pain, inflammation (swelling), menstrual cramps, stiffness caused by arthritis, and colonic polyps. In 1998, it was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

2. Celebrex is Prescribed for: Celebrex is prescribed in treating pain, fever, swelling, and tenderness caused by osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, but does not prevent the progression of either type of arthritis. It just lessens the symptoms and signs of arthritis and is approved for patients with familial FAP without having their colons removed. It is also prescribed for relieving acute pain and the pain of menstrual cramps (primary dysmenorrhea).

Being a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), Celebrex is commonly administered to treat inflammation of arthritis and other body tissues, including tendinitis and bursitis. It varies from other NSAIDs as it reduces the inflammation and ulceration of the stomach and intestine with short-term treatment and does not impede with the clotting of blood. It also helps in averting the formation and reduce the size of polyps in patients with the genetic disease, familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP).

3. Drug Mechanism: it is a powerful COX-2 inhibitor that works specifically on an enzyme called COX-2. Being newly developed drugs, COX-2 inhibitors works by selectively block the COX-2 enzyme that helps in impeding the production of the chemical messengers (prostaglandins) that cause the pain and swelling of arthritis inflammation. They belong to a new class of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and are uniquely different from traditional NSAIDs.

4. Dosage Form: The lowest effective dose is needed for each patient. 100 mg twice daily or 200 mg dose is given for the management of osteoarthritis, while 100 or 200 mg twice daily is prescribed for rheumatoid arthritis. 400 mg as a single dose on the first day followed by an additional 200 mg if needed, then 200mg twice daily as needed is the dosage suggested for acute pain or menstrual cramps. The recommended dose for FAP is 400 mg twice daily.

5. Drug Interactions: Combined use of Celebrex with aspirin or other NSAIDs like ibuprofen and naproxen heighten the risk for stomach and intestinal ulcers. Fluconazole (Diflucan) augment the concentration of celecoxib in the body and holds back the breakdown of celecoxib in the liver. Therefore, those who take fluconazole treatment should be initiated at the lowest recommended doses of Celebrex. Celebrex also boosts the concentration of lithium (Eskalith) in the blood by 17% because of which lithium therapy has to be closely monitored during therapy with celecoxib. When using the anticoagulant (blood thinner) like warfarin (Coumadin), you should have your blood tested during celecoxib treatment, mostly in the first few days, for any changes in the effects of the anticoagulant.

6. Pregnancy: Effect of Celebrex in pregnant women is not reported. However, it may lead to unwanted effects on the heart or blood flow of the fetus or newborn baby when taken regularly during the last few months of pregnancy. The twice the maximally recommended doses were found to be harmful to the fetus in animal studies. Celebrex should be taken by pregnant women after outweighing the potential risk to the fetus.

Animal studies show that Celebrex cause birth defects of the ribs and sternebrae. Make sure your doctor knows if you are pregnant or if you may become pregnant before taking this medicine.

7. Nursing Mothers: Using Celebrex by nursing mothers is not yet evaluated and whether Celebrex passes into breast milk is not known. However, it may pave way for unwanted effects in nursing babies, so stop breast-feeding during treatment with this drug. Get information regarding the risks and benefits of the medicine with your doctor.

8. Dietary and Alcohol Considerations: take it with or without food and if it upsets stomach, consider taking it with food. If you drink more than 3 alcoholic beverages per day, you may increase the risk of developing stomach ulcers when taking NSAIDs.

9. Possible Side Effects: Around 10%-50% of patients cannot tolerate NSAID treatment. Stomach and intestinal ulcers can occur with the use of Celebrex as per short-term studies. As it does not hold up the function of the blood platelets, it does not reduce clotting and thus cause increased bleeding like other NSAIDs. Some common side effects are abdominal pain, headache, dyspepsia, diarrhea, nausea, flatulence and insomnia. Fainting, heart failure, kidney failure, chest pain, aggravation of hypertension, ringing in the ears, stomach and intestinal ulcers, deafness, blurred vision, bleeding, anxiety, photosensitivity, water retention, weight gain, flu-like symptoms, drowsiness and weakness etc are other side effects.

Celebrex cause allergic reactions including rash, itching, difficulty breathing. If you come with other effects not listed above, contact your doctor or pharmacist.

10. Storage: Keeping this medication in tightly closed container and out of reach of children is advised. Store the capsules at room temperature (77°F (25°C)) and afar excess heat and moisture (not in the bathroom) or at brief periods in temperatures between 59-86°F (15-30°C). Dispose it when it is outdated or no longer needed.

11. Package Size and Type: Capsules: 100 mg (white with a blue band), 200 mg (white with a gold band), 400 mg (white with a green band).

12. Where can I get more information on acarbose?

a) U.S. National Library of Medicine and National Institutes of Health

b) WebMD Corporation

Always consult your doctor before starting to take this medicine and never use it on your own initiative, without medical advice.

Celebrex generic notes:

Manufactured by Pfizer, Celebrex is sold with the product brand name Celecoxib. It helps in treating osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis by providing relief from pain, fever, swelling, and tenderness. celebrex never hinders the advancement of any form of arthritis, but only helps in offering relief from the symptoms of and signs of arthritis. It can be prescribed safely to patients suffering from familial FAP and whose colons have not been removed. It offer relief from acute pain caused by menstrual cramps women.

Basically being an anti-inflammatory drug, Celebrex is available in two dosages- a 100 capsule packing of Celebrex of 100 mg dosage that costs USD 65.00 and a 100 capsule packing of celebrex 200 mg dosage that costs USD 99.00. It has to be administered in the form of lowest effective dose that can differ from patient to patient.

This non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication varies from the other medicines of as it lessens the inflammation and ulceration caused by the other similar drugs in the stomach and intestine. Celebrex medication never gets in the way of clotting of blood and unlike other similar drugs, it does not deter the process of creation and reduction in the size of polyps in patients who suffer from a genetic disease - familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP).

side effects from Celebrex are negligible even when taken alone. But the intake of of NSAID drugs like Aspirin and Celebrex together can result in an increase in the rate at which stomach and intestinal ulcers occur. Taking this medication by pregnant patients and feeding mothers has not been studied as yet, who should use the medicine after proper consultation with a doctor.