Study: Common blood pressure medications may increase the risk of bleeding

A recent study found that people who suffer from an irregular heartbeat and take a common blood pressure medication are more vulnerable to serious bleeding.

Atrial fibrillation is the most common type of arrhythmia, and can lead to blood clots or stroke if left untreated, according to the American Heart Association.

People with this condition are often prescribed anticoagulants and heart rate control drugs, said study co-author Eli Zimmerman, a professor in the Ken and Ruth Davee Department of Neurology.

He continued: “Genetic differences can affect how people metabolize medications. This is especially important when multiple medications used for the same condition, such as atrial fibrillation, are affected by these differences in metabolism. Our research group looked at these differences and how they could cause negative effects.” .

The study reviewed the health records of Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 or older with atrial fibrillation who started taking anticoagulant medications in addition to diltiazem or metoprolol, medications that lower the heart rate.

It was found that patients taking "diltiazem" were 20% more likely to be hospitalized and die due to bleeding. The risks were higher with higher drug doses. There were no statistically significant differences in the rates of stroke or bleeding, according to the results.

“These results are important because they show that although there are some benefits to using diltiazem over metoprolol, and vice versa, differences in metabolism may lead to increased bleeding risks in those taking diltiazem,” Zimmerman said.

The research group will continue to investigate the causes of different reactions to the same drugs, and identify possible ways to monitor drug levels.

It is recommended not to change the treatment plan for patients without consulting a specialist doctor.

The study was published in the journal JAMA.