Initiation of antihypertensive treatment during nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug therapy.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether there is an increased risk for the initiation of antihypertensive therapy in older persons prescribed nonaspirin, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).


METHODS
Case-control study.


METHODS
New Jersey Medicaid program.


METHODS
Medicaid enrollees aged 65 years and older. The 9411 case patients were newly started on an antihypertensive medication between November 1981 and February 1990. A similar number of controls were randomly selected among other enrollees.


METHODS
We used logistic regression to determine the odds ratio for the initiation of antihypertensive therapy in patients using NSAIDs relative to nonusers, after adjusting for age, sex, race, nursing home residence, number of prescriptions filled, intensity of physician utilization, and days hospitalized.


RESULTS
The adjusted odds ratio for the initiation of antihypertensive therapy for recent NSAID users compared with nonusers was 1.66 (95% confidence interval, 1.54 to 1.80). The odds ratio increased with increasing daily NSAID dose: the adjusted odds ratio for users of low average daily doses relative to nonusers was 1.55 (95% CI, 1.38 to 1.74), that for medium-dose users was 1.64 (95% CI, 1.44 to 1.87), and that for high-dose users was 1.82 (95% CI, 1.62 to 2.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Use of NSAIDs may increase the risk for initiation of antihypertensive therapy in older persons. Given the high prevalence of NSAID use by elderly persons, this association may have important public health implications for the management of hypertension in the older population.
Gurwitz
J H
JH
Program for the Analysis of Clinical Strategies, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Mass 02115.
Avorn
J
J
Bohn
R L
RL
Glynn
R J
RJ
Monane
M
M
Mogun
H
H
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015897:Comorbidity; D004363:Drug Utilization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008484:Medicaid / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012307:Risk Factors; D014481:United States
D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents