Comparative Pharmacology
Head-to-head clinical analysis: CELEBREX versus VIOXX.
Peer-Reviewed Evidence
Head-to-head clinical analysis: CELEBREX versus VIOXX.
CELEBREX vs VIOXX
Comparing the clinical profiles, pharmacokinetic behaviors, and safety indices of these two therapeutic agents.
Celecoxib is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) that inhibits cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) selectively, thereby reducing the synthesis of prostaglandins involved in inflammation, pain, and fever. It does not significantly inhibit COX-1 at therapeutic concentrations.
Selective cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitor; reduces prostaglandin synthesis involved in inflammation, pain, and fever.
100-200 mg orally twice daily; for acute pain or primary dysmenorrhea, 400 mg initially followed by 200 mg twice daily as needed.
12.5 to 25 mg orally once daily.
None Documented
None Documented
Terminal elimination half-life is approximately 11 hours (range 8-12 hours) in healthy adults; in elderly patients (≥65 years), half-life is prolonged to ~18 hours; in patients with mild-to-moderate hepatic impairment, half-life increased by 2-fold.
The terminal elimination half-life is approximately 17 hours (range 12-22 hours) in healthy adults. This prolonged half-life supports once-daily dosing, but accumulation occurs with repeated doses, reaching steady state within 3-4 days. In elderly patients, half-life may increase by up to 30%.
Primarily hepatic metabolism via CYP2C9; approximately 27% of dose excreted in urine as unchanged drug and metabolites, with about 3% as unchanged celecoxib; 57-70% excreted in feces as metabolites.
Rofecoxib is primarily eliminated via hepatic metabolism, with <1% excreted unchanged in urine. Approximately 72% of an oral dose is excreted in urine as metabolites and 14% in feces as metabolites. Biliary excretion contributes minimally.
Category C
Category C
NSAID (COX-2 Inhibitor)
NSAID (COX-2 Inhibitor)