What have been the most serious health concerns raised regarding Vioxx?
Vioxx has been linked to possible cardiovascular complications, including blood clots, heart attacks and strokes, and to kidney failure. Besides the known cardiovascular risks associated with Vioxx, which prompted Merck to pull the drug from the marketplace, other serious side effects can occur during treatment with this medicine. Notify your doctor immediately if you develop abdominal pain, tenderness, or discomfort; nausea; blood in your vomit; bloody, black, or tarry stools; unexplained weight gain; swelling or water retention; fatigue or lethargy; a skin rash; itching; yellowing of your skin or eyes; “flu-like” symptoms; or unusual bruising or bleeding.
