Researchers at the University of Oxford conducted the largest and the most extensive study on around 2,60,000 people in 31 trials to analyse the potential link between blood pressure drugs and cancer.
The researchers established that there is no link between blood pressure drugs and cancer development, as per the study published in the British Heart Foundation’s official website.
Professor James Leiper, the Associate Medical Director at British Heart Foundation, said in a statement: “This very large study has demonstrated that blood pressure-lowering drugs that help to prevent a heart attack or stroke do not increase the risk of developing cancer. This study provides further reassurance that their use is safe.”
“It’s important that patients continue to take their blood pressure medication as prescribed to protect their heart and blood vessels,” he advised.
For the study, the researchers examined five antihypertensive drug classes separately: angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs), beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers (CCBs), and diuretics.
The investigators estimated the effect of each drug class on the risk of developing any type of cancer, of dying from cancer, and of developing breast, colorectal, lung, prostate, and skin cancers.
They also examined whether there were any differences according to age, gender, body size, smoking status, and previous antihypertensive medication use before taking part in the trial.
During an average of four years, there were around 15,000 new diagnoses of cancer. The researchers found no evidence that the use of any antihypertensive drug class increased the risk of cancer of any kind.
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