A new Swiss study on the effects of COX-2 inhibitors reveals the medications may play a major role in the prevention of heart disease. As part of a 14-person study at the University of Zurich, researchers distributed Celebrex, a COX-2 inhibitor used to treat arthritis, to patients taking cardiovascular disease prevention drugs, including blood-thinning aspirin and lipid-lowering medications. For two weeks, half of the patients received Celebrex while the other half was given a placebo. The two groups were then reversed.

At the end of the study, researchers discovered that three indications of heart disease--endothelial function, levels of oxidized low-density lipoprotein and C-reactive protein--all improved. According to researchers, the results were similar to what physicians usually see after prescribing cardiovascular medications. The study's head author stated more, larger studies are necessary before physicians begin to recommend COX-2 inhibitors such as Celebrex to heart patients.