COX2 inhibitors are a type of anti-inflammation, pain relief drug named to reflect the fact that they specifically act on the enzyme cyclooxygenase-2.
COX2 inhibitors were initially seen as an improvement over standard NSAID drugs because they didn't cause stomach or other gastrointestinal problems (a benefit of their specific enzyme targeting), but suffered setbacks after the COX2 inhibitor, Vioxx, was found to increase the risk of cardiovascular problems.
After exhaustive testing, a few, safe, COX2 inhibitors remain on the market. The most popular of these is Celebrex.
COX2 inhibitors may cause blood pressure increases in some patients with preexisting high blood pressure, but are not thought to increase the risk of developing new high blood pressure.
