Conference Coverage

Years after ALLHAT, alpha-blocker use still common, risky


 

REPORTING FROM JOINT HYPERTENSION 2018

About 9,000 alpha-blocker patients had a fracture versus 3,351 matched patients on other antihypertensives; “9,000 patients out of 70,000 is a huge number. These drugs are useful in some situations, but be careful,” Dr. Hiremath said.

Dr. William Cushman, professor of medicine and physiology at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis M. Alexander Otto/MDedge News

Dr. William Cushman

“This is observational data, but it’s consistent with ALLHAT, and the outcomes are even worse. We didn’t in [subsequent] guidelines say that you should [never] use an alpha-blocker in hypertension. Maybe we should have,” said ALLHAT investigator William Cushman, MD, a professor of medicine and physiology at the University of Tennessee, Memphis.

There was no industry funding for the work, and the investigators reported having no financial disclosures. Dr. Cushman wasn’t involved in the work.

SOURCE: Hiremath S et al. Joint Hypertension 2018, Abstract P375.

Pages

Recommended Reading

Could tackling maternal obesity prevent later CVD in offspring?
MDedge Internal Medicine
New hypertension guidelines would add 15.6 million new diagnoses
MDedge Internal Medicine
DOACs found safer than warfarin in the real world
MDedge Internal Medicine
Valsartan recalls: FDA, manufacturers issue advisories
MDedge Internal Medicine
Diabetes, hypertension, smoking may raise risk for late-onset epilepsy
MDedge Internal Medicine
Mild cognitive impairment risk slashed by 19% in SPRINT MIND
MDedge Internal Medicine
Blood pressure meds cut cognitive impairment risk
MDedge Internal Medicine
Blood pressure control prevents cognitive impairment
MDedge Internal Medicine
FOURIER analysis: PCSK9 inhibition helps MetS patients the most
MDedge Internal Medicine
Children born from ART at increased risk of developing arterial hypertension
MDedge Internal Medicine