USC Schaeffer Center, July 27, 2022
Using multiple medications with known cardiovascular adverse effects at the same time doubled, and sometimes tripled, the risk for a heart attack, stroke or death among older adults with no prior cardiovascular disease, according to new research published in Pharmacoepidemiology & Drug Safety.
“Although the cardiovascular risks of specific medications or drug classes is generally well-recognized, the cumulative impact on cardiovascular risk associated with the concurrent use of these medications was not known prior to this study,” said corresponding author Dima M Qato, a senior fellow at USC Schaeffer Center and Hygeia Centennial Chair and associate professor and Director of the Program on Medicines and Public Health at USC School of Pharmacy.
“Our findings build on prior studies focusing on individual products and suggest there is an additive risk of serious cardiovascular events associated with the use of two or more medications with cardiovascular side effects,” said Qato.