Certain drugs for high blood pressure are associated with increased risk of lung cancer. This risk is not significant, but it is still noticeable.
The use of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) to reduce the pressure associated with an increased risk of lung cancerif you compare this danger with the readings from other patients with hypertension who use blood pressure medication from the category of angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs). The risk is particularly increased among those taking ACEIs for more than 5 years, the researchers note. However, they added that the risk of lung cancer in these patients is still not too big (1.3 per 1000 persons), but it is above average.
In addition, in Russia drugs from the category of ACEIs prescribed to millions of patients, and even slightly elevated the risk of lung cancer will still lead to the fact that the number of victims of this dangerous disease will grow in absolute terms. ACEIs are effective drugs against hypertension. There is evidence that they may increase the risk of lung cancer due to the accumulation of proteins similar to chemicals called bradykinin and substance P in the lungs. These chemicals are found in the tumor tissues of the lung, bradykinin can directly stimulate the growth of these tumors.
Previously, scientists also made similar conclusions, but the study was purely observational. Now the experts from McGill University in Canada analyzed the records of case histories of nearly one million patients from the UK who began taking medication for hypertension between 1995 and 2015. On average, the increased risk of lung cancer in the group of patients on ACEIs was 14%, compared to those who used ARBs. (READ MORE)