Drug Combo for Irregular Heartbeat Would possibly Elevate Bleeding Danger
MONDAY, Nov. 21, 2016 (HealthDay Information) -- As a result of the irregular heartbeat often called atrial fibrillation can set off stroke-inducing clots, many sufferers are prescribed a blood thinner.
However a brand new Canadian examine means that combining one blood thinner, Pradaxa, with sure statin drugs may increase the percentages for bleeding in these sufferers.
"A rise within the danger of bleeding requiring hospital admission or emergency division visits was seen with lovastatin [Mevacor] and simvastatin [Zocor] in contrast with the opposite statins," stated examine creator Tony Antoniou, a pharmacist at St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto.
His staff tracked outcomes for almost 46,000 sufferers ages 65 and older. All had atrial fibrillation and took Pradaxa (dabigatran) to cut back their danger of stroke.
Those that additionally took both lovastatin or simvastatin had a 40 % increased danger of bleeding than those that took different statins, the researchers reported Nov. 21 within the Canadian Medical Affiliation Journal.
Then again, "we discovered no distinction within the danger of stroke in sufferers receiving dabigatran who had been prescribed lovastatin or simvastatin versus different statins," Antoniou stated in a hospital information launch.
Why the distinction in bleeding danger? Antoniou's staff speculated that lovastatin and simvastatin could increase the quantity of Pradaxa absorbed by the physique, thereby rising the chance of bleeding. Which may not happen with different statins, that are medication designed to decrease ldl cholesterol, the researchers stated.
Two specialists -- a neurologist and a heart specialist -- stated the brand new examine may level to a problem docs want to handle.
"The authors have recognized a doubtlessly significant issue," stated Dr. Andrew Rogove. He is medical director of stroke at Northwell Well being's Southside Hospital in Bay Shore, N.Y.
"There are alternate statin medication that should not have this impact on Pradaxa," he stated. Rogove confused, nonetheless, that "this examine checked out older populations [age over 66] and will not maintain true for youthful sufferers."
Dr. Kevin Marzo is chief of cardiology at Winthrop-College Hospital in Mineola, N.Y. "As many as 50 % of sufferers on [Pradaxa] are also taking a statin," he famous.
"Based mostly on this examine, different statins not related to elevated bleeding danger ought to be used as a substitute of lovastatin and simvastatin in sufferers," Marzo stated.
-- Robert Preidt
Copyright © 2016 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
SOURCES: Andrew Rogove, M.D., medical director, stroke, Northwell Well being's Southside Hospital, Bay Shore, N.Y.; Kevin Marzo, M.D., chief, division of cardiology, Winthrop-College Hospital, Mineola, N.Y.; St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, information launch, Nov. 21, 2016
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