A new study published in JAMA has found that some blood pressure medicines may be risky for people with atrial fibrillation, or AFib.
AFib is a common heart condition where the heart beats irregularly. It can cause blood clots and increase the risk of stroke. To lower these risks, doctors often give patients blood thinners and other medicines to control heart rate.
But this new research shows that using certain combinations of these drugs may raise the risk of dangerous bleeding. The study looked at how people respond differently to medicines, depending on things like age and genetics. This is especially important for people with complex health issues like AFib.
The study was led by Dr. Eli Zimmerman from Northwestern University. He and his team studied Medicare data from patients aged 65 and older.
All these patients had just started taking a blood thinner, either apixaban or rivaroxaban. They were also taking one of two common heart rate drugs: diltiazem or metoprolol. The data came from the years 2012 to 2020.
The results were surprising. People who took diltiazem had a 20% higher risk of being hospitalized or dying from serious bleeding than those who took metoprolol. However, both groups had similar results when it came to strokes and other types of bleeding.
This suggests that while diltiazem may be helpful in some cases, it might not be the safest choice for people also taking blood thinners. The reason could be how the two drugs interact in the body. When used together, they might not be broken down properly, which can lead to side effects like heavy bleeding.
Dr. Zimmerman said that more research is needed to fully understand why some people are more at risk. One idea is to check the amount of medicine in the blood more often.
This could help doctors adjust treatment and avoid problems. It also shows that treatment should be tailored to each person, especially older adults who are more likely to have side effects.
This study reminds us that managing heart problems like AFib is not just about choosing the right medicine. It’s also about choosing the safest combination of medicines. For people who have high blood pressure or heart issues, lifestyle also matters. Drinking less coffee may help lower blood pressure, especially in people with very high readings.
Other studies have shown that healthy changes like eating more plant-based foods or eating only during certain hours of the day can help reduce blood pressure naturally.
This new research gives doctors and patients more information about how to stay safe while treating AFib and high blood pressure. Personalized treatment plans could be the key to better results and fewer side effects.
If you care about blood pressure, please read studies that changing blood pressure readings is a hidden sign of heart disease and switching blood pressure drugs may treat the condition better.
For more health information, please read studies about the arm squeeze test: could your blood pressure reading be wrong and bedtime medication more effective for high blood pressure.
Copyright © 2025 Knowridge Science Report. All rights reserved.
