Do you take medicine for high blood pressure? Or for chronic kidney disease, heart failure, or diabetes?
If you do, you may want to pay attention to a recent study from St. Michael’s Hospital. It talks about two types of these medications and a possible risk.
The two types of medicines are angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) and ACE inhibitors. Both affect a hormone called angiotensin II. This hormone makes blood vessels tighter, which can raise blood pressure.
How do the medicines work? ARBs stop angiotensin II from making blood vessels tighter. ACE inhibitors reduce how much of this hormone your body makes.
What Did The Study Find?
Researchers looked at Canadian health databases. They found 964 people who committed suicide within 100 days of getting a prescription for an ARB or ACE inhibitor.
They then compared these people to a group of just over 3,000 people. This group also took one of the two types of blood pressure medicine.
The result? People who took ARBs were more likely to die by suicide than those who took ACE inhibitors. In fact, those on ARBs had a 63% higher risk of suicide.
Why Might ARBs Increase Suicide Risk?
Researchers believe ARBs might raise levels of angiotensin II in the brain. This could be connected to mood disorders. Mood disorders, in turn, could lead to suicidal thoughts and actions.
There might be other factors at work, too. For example, some of the people in the study were also taking antidepressants or benzodiazepines.
Should You Be Worried?
The research team says there is a reason for some concern. But they also say more work is needed to confirm these findings. They suggest that patients might want to consider taking ACE inhibitors instead of ARBs.
If you’re taking an ARB, don’t stop without talking to your doctor. Discuss any concerns you have. They can help you understand the risks and benefits of your medicine.
More Info About High Blood Pressure
High blood pressure is a serious health issue. It can lead to heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, and other problems.
To learn more, check out recent studies on other causes of high blood pressure and possible ways to manage it.
The study on blood pressure medication and suicide risk was conducted by Muhammad Mamdani and others. It was published in JAMA Network Open.
If you care about high blood pressure, please read studies about potatoes and high blood pressure, and the top 10 choices for a blood pressure-friendly diet
For more information about high blood pressure, please see recent studies about the impact of vitamins on high blood pressure you need to know, and the powerful link between high blood pressure and a potassium-rich diet.
Follow us on Twitter for more articles about this topic.
Copyright © 2023 Knowridge Science Report. All rights reserved.
