Medication Class: Nonsteroidal Antiinflammatory Drug (NSAID)
Manufacturer: Pfizer
Approval date: December, 1998

What is Celebrex and how does it work

Celebrex is a nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug that works by inhibiting the action of the enzyme cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) which plays a role in the generation of pain and inflammation when there is injury to parts of the body. It is a selective COX-2 inhibitor.

What does Celebrex treat

• Osteoarthritis
• Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)
• Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis (JRA) (2 years and older)
• Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS)
• Acute pain
• Primary Dysmenorrhea (PD)

How effective is Celebrex

• Celebrex 200 mg once daily or 100 mg twice daily reduces osteoarthritis pain within 24-48 hours and is as effective as naproxen 500 mg twice daily.
• Celebrex 100 mg or 200 mg twice daily reduces rheumatoid arthritis pain better than placebo in a 24 week study and is as effective as naproxen 5000 mg twice daily.
• Single doses provide pain relief within 60 minutes.

What are interesting facts about Celebrex

• Only selective COX-2 inhibitor approved in the US.
• Although it selectively inhibits Cox-2 it can cause stomach and intestinal ulcers.
• It does not interfere with blood clotting. Therefore, it does not protect against heart attacks like aspirin.

How is Celebrex dosed and administered

Celebrex capsules are administered orally with or without a meal. For those who have difficulty swallowing capsules the content of the capsule can be mixed with a teaspoon of apple sauce and ingested with water.

Osteoarthritis: 200 mg once daily or 100mg twice daily.

Rheumatoid Arthritis: 100 to 200 mg twice daily.

Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis: 50 mg twice daily in patients 10-25 kg. 100 mg twice daily in patients more than 25 kg.

Ankylosing Spondylitis: 200 mg once daily or 100 mg twice daily. May be increased to 400 mg daily if there is no effect after 6 weeks.

Acute pain and Primary Dysmenorrhea: 400 mg followed by 200 mg if needed on day 1; 200 mg twice daily as needed thereafter.

What are the side effects of Celebrex

Common: Headache, rash, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, upset stomach, stomach pain.

Serious: Heart attack, stroke, high blood pressure, heart failure, fluid retention, ulcers, severe allergic reactions, severe skin reactions, liver failure, asthma attacks, anemia.

Celebrex drug interactions

• Coumadin (warfarin)
• Lithium
• Aspirin (may be used with low dose aspirin but increased risk of ulcers)
• other non-aspirin NSAIDS
• Lasix (furosemide)
• Diflucan (Fluconazole)
• Blood pressure reducing medications

What is the cost of Celebrex

$3.50 to $12.5 per capsule.

How to obtain prescription assistance for Celebrex

For prescription assistance for Celebrex visit Pfizer helpful answers.

References: Celebrex FDA Prescribing Information and Medication Guide

This medication summary is for information only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment provided by a qualified healthcare provider.