Atrial Fibrillation Risk Lower With Some Classes Of Antihypertensives

Main Category: Cardiovascular / Cardiology
Also Included In: Vascular;  Stroke;  Hypertension
Article Date: 19 Jan 2010 - 2:00 PDT

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Atrial fibrillation, or irregular heartbeat, is a major risk factor for thromboembolic events, particularly stroke. This risk is especially high in patients with high blood pressure. Antihypertensive drugs are known to reduce the risk for atrial fibrillation by lowering blood pressure. However, some classes of antihypertensives may have greater risk reduction through other mechanisms.

Researchers studied 4,661 patients with atrial fibrillation against 18,642 matched control patients from a population of 682,993 patients treated for hypertension in the United Kingdom. They compared the risk for atrial fibrillation among hypertensive patients taking angiotensin-converting-enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, angiotensin II-receptor blockers (ARBs), or beta-blockers to the reference group taking calcium channel blockers. The researchers found that patients on long-term ACE-inhibitor, ARB, or beta blocker therapy had a reduced risk for atrial fibrillation compared to patients on calcium channel blockers.

Patients and physicians should consider these differences when choosing an antihypertensive therapy.

Annals of Internal Medicine Jan. 19, 2010

Source: Angela Collom
American College of Physicians

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