Calcium antagonists and mortality in patients with coronary artery disease: a cohort study of 11,575 patients.
OBJECTIVE
This study sought to establish the risk ratio for mortality associated with calcium antagonists in a large population of patients with chronic coronary artery disease.


BACKGROUND
Recent reports have suggested that the use of short-acting nifedipine may cause an increase in overall mortality in patients with coronary artery disease and that a similar effect may be produced by other calcium antagonists, in particular those of the dihydropyridine type.


METHODS
Mortality data were obtained for 11,575 patients screened for the Bezafibrate Infarction Prevention study (5,843 with and 5,732 without calcium antagonists) after a mean follow-up period of 3.2 years.


RESULTS
There were 495 deaths (8.5%) in the calcium antagonist group compared with 410 in the control group (7.2%). The age-adjusted risk ratio for mortality was 1.08 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.95 to 1.24). After adjustment for the differences between the groups in age and gender and the prevalence of previous myocardial infarction, angina pectoris, hypertension, New York Heart Association functional class, peripheral vascular disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes and current smoking, the adjusted risk ratio declined to 0.97 (95% CI 0.84 to 1.11). After further adjustment for concomitant medication, the risk ratio was estimated at 0.94 (95% CI 0.82 to 1.08).


CONCLUSIONS
The current analysis does not support the claim that calcium antagonist therapy in patients with chronic coronary artery disease, whether myocardial infarction survivors or others harbors an increased risk of mortality.
Braun
S
S
Department of Cardiology, Tel Aviv Medical Center, Israel.
Boyko
V
V
Behar
S
S
Reicher-Reiss
H
H
Shotan
A
A
Schlesinger
Z
Z
Rosenfeld
T
T
Palant
A
A
Friedensohn
A
A
Laniado
S
S
Goldbourt
U
U
D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy; D007557:Israel / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors
D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers