Pfizer adds warning to Celebrex arthritis drug

Pharmaceutical giant Pfizer has adapted the label of its Celebrex arthritis drug and added a prominent warning of possible cardiovascular risks, such as increased risk of heart attacks.

This is in line with new warnings concerning other arthritis and pain drugs.

Pfizer say the package insert label of the drug, one of the company's biggest products, recommends that it be prescribed "at the lowest effective dose for the shortest duration".

There has apparently been a sharp decline in sales of Celebrex recently due to safety concerns about the drug.

Pfizer also says U.S. regulators have approved the use of the drug for treatment of ankylosing spondylitis, a form of arthritis that affects the spine.