A new study published in the journal JAMA has found that a common blood pressure drug may increase the chance of serious bleeding in people with atrial fibrillation, or AFib.
AFib is a condition where the heart beats in an irregular way. If not treated, it can cause blood clots, strokes, and other serious problems.
To lower these risks, doctors often give patients medicine to thin the blood and control the heartbeat. But not everyone responds to these drugs the same way. Some people’s genes can affect how their bodies handle medicine, and taking more than one drug at a time can lead to side effects.
Dr. Eli Zimmerman from Northwestern University, one of the lead authors of the study, said it’s very important to understand how each person’s body reacts to drugs. This is especially true when treating something as complex as AFib. If doctors don’t consider these differences, patients may face dangerous side effects without warning.
In this study, researchers looked at older adults, all aged 65 and up, who were on Medicare. These patients started using blood thinners called apixaban or rivaroxaban, and also took either diltiazem or metoprolol — two heart drugs that help slow down the heart rate. The team tracked people who started these drug combinations between 2012 and 2020.
The results showed something important. People who took diltiazem along with the blood thinners had about a 20% higher chance of being hospitalized or dying due to bleeding, compared to those who took metoprolol. For other problems like strokes, blood clots, or less serious bleeding, the differences were not as clear.
This tells us that diltiazem, while useful for controlling heart rate, might be riskier when combined with certain blood thinners. It may cause more bleeding because of how the drugs mix and work inside the body. Some people’s systems may not be able to process both safely at the same time.
The researchers believe this is a sign that treatment plans need to be more personalized. They want to study whether checking drug levels in a patient’s blood might help prevent dangerous side effects like bleeding. This approach could make AFib treatments safer, especially for older adults.
It’s also a reminder that managing heart health is not just about taking medicine. Lifestyle choices matter too. For example, people with high blood pressure might need to cut back on coffee. Eating earlier in the day — known as time-restricted eating — might also help lower blood pressure. A plant-based diet can be another helpful change.
In the end, this study shows that treating heart problems is not always simple. Even common drugs can have hidden risks. That’s why doctors need to look closely at how each patient reacts, and why patients should talk openly with their doctors about what’s best for them.
If you care about heart health, please read studies about how eating eggs can help reduce heart disease risk, and Vitamin K2 could help reduce heart disease risk.
For more information about heart health, please see recent studies about how to remove plaques that cause heart attacks, and results showing a new way to prevent heart attacks, strokes.
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