Brussels, 21/02/2005 (Agence Europe) - Following the meeting on 14-17 February of the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use, the European Medicines Agency announced a certain number of provisional measures while awaiting the end of the re-examination of COX-2 inhibitors planned for April 2005. The Committee pointed out that on the basis of the current data, all these kinds of anti-inflammatory products display an increased cardiovascular risk Data also illustrates a link between duration and does of intake and the probability of suffering cardiovascular problems. In these conditions, the agency has decided to introduce the following restrictions: a contra-indication is introduced for all COX-2 inhibitors in patients with ischemic heart disease or stroke; contra-indications for etoricoxib (Arcoxia produced by Merck & Co)in patients with hypertension whose blood pressure is not under control; a warning for prescribers to exercise caution when prescribing hypertension, hyperlipidaemia - abnormally high levels of cholesterol diabetes and smoking as well as peripheral arterial disease; - Given the association between cardiovascular risk and exposure to Cox-2, doctors are advised to use the lowest effective does for the shortest possible duration of treatment. The re-examination of Cox-2 inhibitors began in October 2004 following the withdrawal by Merck&Co of the inflammatory Vioxx.