A common drug used to treat high blood pressure, called nifedipine, may be riskier than many people thought.
A new study from the European Sudden Cardiac Arrest network has found a possible link between this drug and a serious health problem—sudden cardiac arrest.
Sudden cardiac arrest happens when the heart suddenly stops beating. This stops blood from reaching the brain and other important organs. If help isn’t given right away, it can lead to death. It’s a major cause of death in Europe, responsible for half of heart-related deaths and about 20% of all natural deaths.
When a person has a cardiac arrest, they usually pass out and may stop breathing normally. Sometimes, there are warning signs like chest pain, trouble breathing, or feeling sick. These signs should not be ignored, because the condition can quickly become deadly without fast treatment.
In the study, researchers looked closely at two high blood pressure medications: nifedipine and amlodipine. Both drugs are often used and have helped many people control their blood pressure. The scientists studied 2,503 people who were using one of these drugs and compared them to over 10,000 healthy people from the Netherlands.
They found something surprising: people who were taking a high dose of nifedipine—about 60 milligrams per day—were more likely to have a sudden cardiac arrest.
In contrast, people who took amlodipine didn’t show the same risk. To make sure this result wasn’t a coincidence, the team looked at another group of patients in Denmark and saw the same pattern. This gives more support to their findings.
This discovery is important because nifedipine has been used for years and is seen as a helpful drug. Until now, the risk of sudden cardiac arrest was not known. Part of the reason this link wasn’t found earlier is that sudden cardiac arrest happens so quickly and unexpectedly, making it hard to study.
But this does not mean that everyone should stop taking nifedipine right away. Stopping any medication without talking to a doctor can be dangerous. What this study suggests is that doctors and patients should be more careful with high doses of nifedipine and consider other options if needed.
The researchers say more studies are needed to confirm this link. For now, patients should stay alert, be informed, and speak with their healthcare providers if they have concerns about their medication.
High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is a condition where the blood pushes too hard against the walls of the arteries. It can lead to heart disease, stroke, or kidney problems if it’s not treated properly.
Medicines like nifedipine and amlodipine help lower blood pressure, and they are usually given along with lifestyle changes like eating healthy food, getting regular exercise, and managing stress.
In conclusion, this new research gives us something important to think about. It shows that even drugs we’ve used for a long time can have risks we didn’t know about.
That’s why it’s so important to keep learning about the medicines we take and to talk openly with our doctors. Being informed and careful can help us stay healthy and avoid serious problems like sudden cardiac arrest.
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