Treatment of hypertension can cause breast cancer
The use of certain antihypertensive drugs
increases the risk of developing breast cancer
Weekly Pharmacy www.apteka.ua based on the materials of Drug Discovery & Development:
Popular Heart Drug May Boost Breast Cancer RiskLong-term use of certain antihypertensive drugs, in particular calcium channel blockers, is associated with an increased risk of breast cancer in postmenopausal women.
According to the results of a new study by a team of scientists from the Cancer Research Center named after Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, led by Christopher Li, women who take calcium channel blockers for a long period of time are at a higher risk of developing breast cancer. Antihypertensive drugs are the most commonly prescribed in the United States.
The aim of the study was to assess the relationship between the main classes of antihypertensive drugs and the risk of developing the two most common types of breast cancer in the United States: invasive ductal carcinoma (approximately 70% of all breast cancer cases), and invasive lobular carcinoma (about 20% of all breast cancer cases). At the same time, heredity, the presence of obesity, alcohol consumption and smoking were taken into account.
The study examined the medical histories of 2,763 patients aged 55 to 74 years. The subjects were divided into 2 groups (according to the form of breast cancer): 880 women were diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma, 1027 with invasive lobular carcinoma; another 853 participants made up the control group. The researchers also collected data on the use of antihypertensive drugs (start and end date of administration, name, dose, method, application scheme and indications).
"Arterial hypertension is a chronic disease, so most people with high blood pressure regularly take antihypertensive drugs," K. Lee noted. "The potential link with the most common form of cancer in women is an important health issue, especially with the increased availability of alternative treatments for this disease."
Along with calcium channel blockers for arterial hypertension, beta-adrenergic receptor blockers, drugs acting on the renin-angiotensin system, diuretic drugs, as well as combinations of these drugs are used.
The results of the study showed that women who took calcium channel blockers for 10 years or more had an approximately 2.5-fold increased risk of developing invasive ductal or invasive lobular carcinoma compared to those who had never taken these drugs. The study also revealed that taking other antihypertensive drugs, including diuretics, beta-blockers and angiotensin receptor blockers, did not lead to an increased risk of breast cancer even with long-term therapy.
Scientists emphasize the need for further research to study the mechanisms responsible for increasing the risk of breast cancer.
Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru18.09.2013