[Quo vadetis coxibs?].

After the withdrawall of rofecoxib from worldwide market, there is ongoing debate whether gastrointestinal safety of COX-2 inhibition compared to non-selective NSAID-s may come at the cost of increased cardiovascular events. In this paper the relevant data regarding mechanisms, effects and side effects of selected COX-2 inhibitors are presented. Possible class effect is disscused and proposed alternative therapies.