New research suggests that a drug commonly used to treat hypertension is not dangerous, despite the concerns of some clinicians and researchers about potential health risks.
The new study, led by researchers from the National Institutes and Health and Glasgow University, suggests that dihydropyridines such as amlodipine, which are widely used as antihypertensive agents, do not pose a significant risk to patients. The findings of their research appeared in the journal Function, published by the Oxford University Press.
Amlodipine is widely used to treat hypertension and is regularly taken by more than 70 million Americans in pill form.
Some researchers have questioned the benefits of the drug for treating hypertension and have suggested that the drug may result in changes in blood vessels and increase the risk of heart failure in patients.
After conducting a meta analysis of clinical trials and other previous research, however, the NIH-led team found that dihydropyridines such as amlodipine are not associated with increased risk of heart failure or other cardiovascular problems. They further pointed to the potential life-saving benefits of the drug in reducing hypertension and heart disease.
“Removal of amlodipine as a front-line therapy would most likely increase deaths from hypertension dramatically,” Anant Parekh, DPhil, one of the study’s authors, said in a news release. “The study recommends that amlodipine remain a first-line treatment for high blood pressure.”
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