A popular arthritis medication appears to increase the risk of heart attack, but only in the first three months after starting the drug.People taking Vioxx (generic name rofecoxib) had a 24 percent increased risk of heart attack compared with patients taking Celebrex (celecoxib) or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), claims a study in the April 19 issue of Circulation.A spokeswoman for Merck & Co., which makes Vioxx, was quick to point out that this study is not the definitive word on the subject.
