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One of the most commonly used drugs in Australia to help lower blood pressure has been associated with lung cancer.
The popular class of drugs called ACE inhibitors is used to reduce the risk of stroke, heart attack, kidney disease, heart failure and death.
Popular brands of ACE inhibitors in Australia include Tritace and Coversyl.
But an observational study, published in the British Medical Journal, revealed a link between long-term use and increased risk of lung cancer.
The study analyzed the primary health care records in the UK of nearly one million patients who started taking a new antihypertensive drug between 1995 and 2015.
He compared the use of ACE inhibitors to another class of well-known drugs called angiotensin receptor antagonists, also referred to as ARAs.
It has been established that ACE inhibitors are associated with a higher lung cancer risk of 14%. After 10 years of use, the risk was 31%.
The study has highlighted biological evidence indicating that ACE inhibitors might increase the risk by accumulating protein-like chemicals, called bradykinin and substance P in the lungs.
Pulmonary experts said that while the study looked at 20-year data, smoking information was self-reported and very limited, while other key factors were missing.
"There was no trace of a family history of lung cancer and we know that it is a significant risk factor," said Dr. Emily Stone, lung specialist at St Vincent & ### Sydney Hospital.
Dr. Stone said the findings should not alarm people.
"There is a possible link but it is not proven at all," she said.
"If you have any concerns, I would recommend talking to your doctor – I would not recommend stopping treatment."
These feelings were echoed by the Heart Foundation.
"We do not want many people to stop taking their medications because of that," said Cia Connell, clinical lead, Heart Foundation.
More than 58 million subsidized scripts are filled each year in Australia for drugs for high blood pressure and ACE inhibitors account for about 26%.
The Heart Foundation said that ACE inhibitors had a significant benefit for patients with high blood pressure and heart failure, claiming that the benefits outweighed the risks.
He indicates that, overall, the available data do not prove that ACE inhibitors cause cancer and that it is not necessary to modify the existing guidelines.
© Nine Digital Pty Ltd 2018
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