COX-2 Inhibitors and Myocardial Infarction Risk
Author Information
Author(s): John S. Brownstein, Margarita Sordo, Isaac S. Kohane, Kenneth D. Mandl
Primary Institution: Children's Hospital Informatics Program at the Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology
Hypothesis
Does population health monitoring reveal the effect of COX-2 inhibitors on myocardial infarction rates?
Conclusion
The study found a strong relationship between the use of COX-2 inhibitors and an increase in myocardial infarction rates.
Supporting Evidence
- There was a 18.5% increase in inpatient stays for myocardial infarction when both rofecoxib and celecoxib were on the market.
- For every million prescriptions of rofecoxib and celecoxib, there was a 0.5% increase in myocardial infarction.
- The mean age at myocardial infarction decreased with increased prescriptions of COX-2 inhibitors.
Takeaway
This study shows that taking certain pain medications can lead to more heart attacks in people.
Methodology
A retrospective study analyzing inpatient data from two Boston hospitals between January 1997 and March 2006.
Potential Biases
Potential geographic variation in prescription practices may affect results.
Limitations
The study only included inpatients, which may underestimate overall myocardial infarction rates.
Participant Demographics
Patients hospitalized for myocardial infarction in Boston, Massachusetts.
Statistical Information
P-Value
<0.001
Confidence Interval
95%CI 0.1 to 0.9
Statistical Significance
p<0.001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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