JustCare

Author: Jonathan Block

  • Drug that treats high blood pressure increases risk of skin cancer

    Drug that treats high blood pressure increases risk of skin cancer

    A common medicine used to treat high blood pressure, hydrochlorothiazide, may drastically increase one’s risk for developing skin cancer, according to a new study out of Denmark.

    Researchers in Denmark looked at about 80,000 Danish cases of skin cancer and determined that those people who were taking hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) had a risk of developing skin cancer — more specifically, squamous cell carcinoma — that was up to seven times greater than those not taking the drug. The risk was highest in those who had taken HCTZ for more than 10 years. Other hypertension medicines were looked at as part of the study, but none of them increased the risk of skin cancer.

    “We knew that hydrochlorothiazide made the skin more vulnerable to damage from the sun’s UV rays, but what is new and also surprising is that long-term use of this blood pressure medicine leads to such a significant increase in the risk of skin cancer,” study leader Anton Pottegård, PhD, of the University of Southern Denmark, said in a statement.

    This post was first published in Medshadow.org.

    From Just Care: About 10 million people in the US take a hypertension medication containing HCTZ. HCTZ also has been found to be strongly associated with an increased risk of lip cancer. Brand name drugs with HCTZ include Microzide, Oretic and Esidrix.

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  • Prolonged use of PPIs may increase risk of stomach cancer

    Prolonged use of PPIs may increase risk of stomach cancer

    Prolonged use of a class of drugs popularly used to control acid reflux and heartburn (proton-pump inhibitor or PPI) can significantly increase one’s risk of developing stomach cancer.

    Researchers looked at more than 60,000 adults who had taken a combination of a proton-pump inhibitor (PPI) and two antibiotics to kill H. pylori bacteria for 7 days. Eliminating that bacteria from the gut can significantly lower a person’s risk of developing stomach cancer. However, many people continue to take a PPI regularly after the bacteria has been eliminated, often for years.

    The patients were then monitored for an average of 7.5 years. The researchers compared those who were taking PPIs with another drug class used to decrease acid production in the gut, H2 receptor antagonists (H2 blockers).

    PPIs and H2 blockers are widely available over the counter. Common PPIs include Nexium (esomeprazole), Prevacid (lansoprazole) and Prilosec (omeprazole). Popular H2 blockers include Pepcid (famotidine), Tagamet (cimetidine) and Zantac (ranitidine).

    Those on PPIs had a 2.4 times higher risk of developing stomach cancer, the researchers reported in the journal Gut. However, taking an H2 blocker was not linked to a higher risk.

    The risk also increased the more frequently a PPI was used. Daily use was associated with a 4.5 times higher risk of developing stomach cancer compared with weekly use. Also, the longer a PPI was used, the greater the risk.

    After more than a year of use, the risk of stomach cancer increased 5-fold; 6-fold after 2 or more years; and more than 8-fold after at least 3 years.

    Other research has indicated long-term use of PPIs can lead to other side effects, including pneumonia, heart attack and bone fracture. The study’s authors say that doctors should exercise caution when telling patients to take a PPI for a long period of time.

    This post was first published in www.medshadow.org.

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  • Taking statins may increase risk of diabetes for some

    Taking statins may increase risk of diabetes for some

    People who are at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes may increase that risk by taking a statin medication over the long term.

    Statins are cholesterol-lowering medications, though they are also given to people thought to be susceptible to diabetes to help head off cardiovascular disease and to lower levels of fat in the bloodstream.

    Researchers conducted a long-term follow-up study that looked at more than 3,200 patients who took part in the US Diabetes Prevention Program Outcomes Study (DPPOS). That study examined whether weight loss through changes in lifestyle or taking the diabetes medication metformin could delay or lower the development of diabetes in high-risk individuals.

    At the start of DPPOS, about 4% of participants were taking a statin. But after 10 years, nearly one-third of patients in the study were taking the drugs. The most commonly prescribed statins were Zocor (simvastatin) and Lipitor (atorvastatin).

    Taking a statin was associated with a higher risk of later being diagnosed with diabetes, no matter which treatment group patients had been in the study, the researchers reported in BMJ Open Diabetes Research & Care. Those taking a statin had a 30% higher risk of developing diabetes compared to those who were not on the medication.

    As to why statins may increase diabetes risk, the study authors point to other research that indicates statins may impair the body’s production of insulin, which is used to regulate blood sugar.

    They add that doctors and patients should weigh the moderate diabetes risk statins may have with the cardiovascular benefits, such as a reduction in heart attack and stroke risk, that statins also provide.

    This post was first published in www.medshadow.org.

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  • Common OTC drugs linked to cognitive impairment

    Common OTC drugs linked to cognitive impairment

    Common over-the-counter (OTC) medicines used to treat colds and allergies, as well as sleep aids, are linked to cognitive impairment in older adults, including an increased risk of dementia.

    It’s more than likely that the medicines, which are known as anticholinergic drugs, are in your medicine cabinet. Some common brand names are Benadryl (diphenhydramine), Dramamine (dimenhydrinate), and Dimetapp (dextromethorphan), a commonly used cough suppressant found in cold remedies.

    Older types of antidepressants (tricyclic) and bupropion, better known as Wellbutrin as an antidepressant and Zyban as a smoking aid, are also anticholinergic agents. Other medications with known anticholinergic effects are sold OTC as sleep aids, and with a prescription to treat chronic conditions, including cardiovascular disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and hypertension.

    Using brain scans, researchers at the Indiana University School of Medicine found that people who took anticholinergic drugs had a lower metabolism and smaller brain sizes. The drugs work by blocking acetylcholine, a chemical known as a neurotransmitter that operates in the nervous system.

    “Given all of the research evidence, physicians might want to reconsider anticholinergic medications if available when working with their older patients,” first author Shannon Risacher, PhD, assistant professor of radiology and imaging science, said in a statement. The study was published in JAMA Neurology in 2016.

    The research involved 451 people, 60 of whom were taking at least one medication considered to have medium to high anticholinergic activity. Those taking the drugs didn’t do as well as older adults on memory based on cognitive tests, as well as other tests used to measure activities including verbal reasoning, planning and problem solving, which are known as executive functions.

    This study is not the first to find a link between anticholinergic drugs and cognitive issues in older adults. In 2003, another Indiana University team found that meds with a significant anticholinergic effect can cause cognitive issues in as little as 60 days of continuous use. And drugs with a weaker effect could cause impairment within 90 days.

    This post was first published in www.medshadow.org.

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