KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- A Missouri woman is suing the maker of arthritis drug Vioxx over the 2002 death of her daughter.

The suit was filed Friday by Caroline Nevels of Lexington, Mo.

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Fact Sheet: More On Vioxx

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It came a day after Merck pulled the medication from shelves over fears users faced increased risk of heart attack and stroke.

Nevels said her 34-year-old daughter took Vioxx for 2.5 years before dying of a heart attack in November 2002. She claims Merck knew of the risks of Vioxx long before its announcement Thursday.

A spokeswoman for Merck said she had not seen the lawsuit and the company would not comment on litigation.

Patients who are currently taking Vioxx should contact their health care providers to discuss discontinuing use of Vioxx and possible alternative treatments. For more information, visit merck.com, vioxx.com, or the Food and Drug Administration's Vioxx page. Patients and health care professionals with questions can also call (888) 36-VIOXX (1-888-368-4699).

Patients can get a refund on unused Vioxx by mailing back the remaining drug in the original container, along with a pharmacy receipt, to:

NNC Group
Merck Returns
2670 Executive Dr.
Indianapolis, IN 46241

A note with the patient's name, address and phone number should be included. The company will reimburse the cost of the full prescription plus regular shipping.