Blood Pressure Drugs Increase Risk for Breast
Cancer
Introduction:
More than 60 million Americans have high blood
pressure (high BP) including more than half (54.3%) of all Americans age 65 to
74 years old and almost three quarters (71.8%) of all American blacks in the
same age group. High BP is a major risk factor for a heart attack or stroke. In
fact, it is generally regarded as the most significant risk factor for a
stroke.
Drugs to lower blood pressure are among the most
commonly prescribed medicines in the U.S. More than 678 million blood pressure
prescriptions were filled in 2010. All of the current classes of blood pressure
lowering drugs possess significant side effects. A new study indicates that
women taking blood pressure lowering drugs called calcium-channel blockers,
like Norvasc (amlodipine) for 10 years or more had a 2.5 times higher risk of
developing breast cancer than those who never took the medicine or who used
other blood pressure treatments.
According to the National Cancer Institute more
than 232,000 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in the United States
this year and more than 39,600 will die of the disease. It is a sad fact that
many of these women may have been the victims of the cancer being caused by
taking a calcium channel blocker.
Background Information:
Each year about 100 million prescriptions are
filled for calcium-channel blockers. Calcium-channel blockers lower blood
pressure by preventing calcium from entering cells thereby relaxing blood
vessels. Since calcium is required in the function of nerve transmission and
muscle contraction, the effect of blocking the calcium channel is to slow down
nerve conduction and inhibit the contraction of the muscle. In the heart and
vascular system, this action results in reducing the rate and force of
contraction, relaxing the arteries, and slowing the nerve impulses in the
heart. Although calcium channel blockers have been shown to lower the risk of
stroke, they have also been shown to produce an increased risk for heart
attacks.
Although much better tolerated than beta-blockers,
ACE inhibitors, and diuretics – other popular drug categories for high blood
pressure – calcium channel blockers still produce some mild side effects
including constipation, allergic reactions, fluid retention, dizziness,
headache, fatigue, and impotence (about 20% of users). More serious side
effects include disturbances of heart rate or function, heart failure, and
angina.
Examples of calcium-channel blockers include:
·
amlodipine (Norvasc)
·
diltiazem (Cardizem CD, Cartia, Dilacor Xr, Diltia
Xt, Tiazac)
·
felodipine (Plendil)
·
lacidipine (Motens)
·
lercanidipine (Zanidip)
·
nicardipine (Cardene, Carden SR)
·
nifedipine (Adalat CC, Procardia XL)
·
nimodipine (Nimotop)
·
nisoldipine (Sular)
·
nitrendipine (Cardif, Nitrepin)
·
verapamil (Calan, Covera-Hs, Isoptin, Verelan)
New Data:
Previous studies have indicated that blood pressure
lowering drugs may increase the risk for certain cancers. To evaluate
associations between use of various classes of blood pressure medications and risks
of invasive ductal and invasive lobular breast cancers among postmenopausal
women, a study was conducted in the Seattle-Puget Sound metropolitan area.
Participants were women aged 55 to 74 years, 880 of them with invasive ductal
breast cancer, 1027 with invasive lobular breast cancer, and 856 with no cancer
serving as controls.
Results demonstrated that use of calcium-channel
blockers for 10 or more years was associated with significantly higher risks of
both ductal breast cancer and lobular breast cancer. This relationship did not vary appreciably
by type of calcium-channel blocker used. In contrast, use of diuretics, beta-blockers, and ACE
inhibitors were not associated with risk of breast cancer.
The relative risk for developing breast cancer was
2.5 times (250%) greater among users of calcium channel blocking drugs.
Commentary:
These results provide a significant cause of
concern and underline the importance of using alternative therapies for blood
pressure control in women, preferably non-drug therapies.
All of the current classes of blood pressure
lowering drugs possess significant side effects. Every effort should be made to
control blood pressure through diet, lifestyle modification, and the proper use
of natural products.
For my specific recommendations to lower blood
pressure naturally, see the article on High Blood Pressure in my Health Conditions section.
Reference:
Li CI, Daling JR, Tang MT, et al. Use of Antihypertensive
Medications and Breast Cancer Risk Among Women Aged 55 to 74 Years. JAMA Intern Med. 2013 Aug 5. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2013.9071.
Dr. Murray is one of the world’s leading
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