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02/11/2018
After hammer study
A medicine against hypertension causes lung cancer? Skeptical cardiologists
Photo: iStock / South_agency
An urgent consultation with the family doctor! Specialists criticize the study on increasing the risk of lung cancer badociated with ACE inhibitors and warn patients: Do not stop taking medication!
In one study, researchers recently reported the combination of ACE inhibitors as antihypertensives and lung cancer. Now cardiologists are talking – and they see the thing more skeptical.
First of all, it is important: if you are taking ACE inhibitors to lower your blood pressure, do not take it like that! Ask your doctor!
There is currently some excitement among cardiologists. Reason is a recent study by Canadian researchers. She revealed that the Antihypertensive ACE inhibitors can trigger lung cancer (we reported). Well, sign up cardiologists speak. And they take the content of the study seriously, but they also have a critical look – for two main reasons.
Critical Cardiologists: Can ACE Inhibitors Really Cause Lung Cancer?
The German League of Hypertension and other doctors have now commented on the study and clarified its validity as well as the actual interaction of benefits and risks of drugs for hypertension . The researchers saw nearly a million patients taking this medication for high blood pressure and heart failure over a 10-year period. It became clear that the risk of developing lung cancer continued to increase in these patients as their duration of use increased.
But this is only an observational study, explain the specialists of the German league of the high pressure around the CEO Prof. Dr. med. Bernhard Krämer. And the probative force of such a study is limited, he continues. It shows only badociations. Say: There may be a link between ACE inhibitors and lung cancer, but it has proven it again. For this, additional studies must be conducted to exclude any disturbing influence.
Lung cancer can be triggered by many people – studies ignore that
The problem with the case, and therefore in the study of observation, is that lung cancer is one of the so-called multifactorial diseases. This means that many factors can trigger the disease, including smoking or obesity. Pollutants in the air and the handling of substances such as asbestos, arsenic, chromium or nickel can be crucial, as well as high consumption of alcohol. In addition, in the case of lung cancer, gender must be included to obtain accurate results. For example, about twice as many men as women develop lung cancer.
In the study, however, such factors are not discussed, doctors criticize the high pressure league. Thus, the group of patients treated with ACE inhibitors had many more obese participants. In addition, the number of subjects with nicotine addiction and alcohol consumption in this group was slightly higher than in the control group. And on average, patients in the group on medication were three years older.
"These differences could have influenced the study results and the higher risk of lung cancer in patients treated with ACE inhibitors," experts said in cardiology.
Further studies needed
Even the authors of the study would have asked for further studies afterwards. Therefore, hasty conclusions must now be avoided. "The probative value of the present study is therefore rather weak," explains Dr. med. Bernhard Krämer. In previous controlled trials, ACE inhibitors could significantly reduce high blood pressure, fight heart failure and significantly reduce cardiovascular disease mortality and overall mortality.
Specialists advise: Do not just stop taking blood pressure medications!
"We hope that the result will not cause patients to stop taking antihypertensive medications without consulting their GP," says Dr. med. Chandler. This could have serious consequences. Because if hypertension is not treated, it can cause strokes, heart attacks, kidney failure and dementia. The consequences usually occur much earlier than the development of cancer. Recognize the symptoms of hypertension and act as quickly as possible: it is important.
"Patients who are not sure should therefore talk to their family doctor and discuss individual risk.If the patient has an increased family risk of developing lung cancer or is smoking a lot, he may consider prescribing another antihypertensive treatment.But the treatment of hypertension should be continued, "says the expert.
We had previously reported on the study: ACE inhibitors increase the risk of cancer. The press release of the German High Pressure League is available here.
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