Common antibiotics, BP medications a bad mix: Study
January 18th, 2011 - 5:16 pm ICT by ANIWashington, Jan 18 (ANI): A new study has found that mixing commonly used antibiotics with common blood pressure medications may cause hypotension (abnormally low blood pressure) and induce shock in older patients, requiring hospitalization.
“Macrolide antibiotics (erythromycin, clarithromycin and azithromycin) are among the most widely prescribed antibiotics, with millions of prescriptions dispensed in Canada each year,” said David Juurlink, Scientist at the Sunnybrook Research Institute and the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences.
This study was conducted among Ontarians 66 years and older who were treated with a calcium-channel blocker (drugs often used to treat high blood pressure) between 1994 and 2009.
The researchers then identified those who were hospitalized for low blood pressure and, in that group, whether or not a macrolide antibiotic had been prescribed shortly beforehand.
The researchers identified 7100 patients hospitalized for low blood pressure or shock while taking a calcium channel blocker.
Treatment with erythromycin was found to increase the risk of low blood pressure almost 6-fold, while clarithromycin increased the risk almost 4-fold. In contrast, azithromycin did not increase the risk of hypotension.
The study was published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal). (ANI)
- Combination ACE inhibitor therapy raises risk of kidney failure, death - Mar 22, 2011
- Antibiotics ineffective against viral sinus infections - Mar 22, 2012
- Sudden BP drop tied to greater chances of heart failure - Mar 20, 2012
- This nasal spray can mask food aroma, and beat hunger - Jan 18, 2011
- Singing lowers patient's BP prior to surgery - Mar 31, 2011
- BP drug not tied to death risk among heart patients - Apr 11, 2012
- Calcium supplements cause heart problems in women? - Apr 24, 2011
- 'Water pills' just as effective as costly BP drugs: Study - Aug 13, 2010
- Common hypertension drugs can raise certain patients' BP - Aug 20, 2010
- Calcium supplements 'ups heart attack risk in older women' - Apr 20, 2011
- Deadly superbugs can come from animal farms too - Jan 26, 2011
- Three-pill combo for high BP launched - Nov 22, 2011
- Low dose of beta blockers can put patients at subsequent heart attack risk - Oct 16, 2010
- Newly identified spider toxin may help treat pain, human diseases - Mar 10, 2011
- Beta-blockers-anti-hypertensive drugs combo lowers high BP - Jan 20, 2010
Tags: antibiotics, azithromycin, blood pressure medications, bp, calcium channel blocker, calcium channel blocker drugs, canadian medical association, canadian medical association journal, clarithromycin, clinical evaluative sciences, erythromycin, high blood pressure, hospitalization, low blood pressure, macrolide antibiotic, medical association journal, prescriptions, scientist, shock, sunnybrook