A cohort study of antihypertensive medication use and breast cancer among Danish women.
BACKGROUND
It has been suggested that specific antihypertensive medications (AHT) may either increase or decrease breast cancer risk.


METHODS
We studied breast cancer incidence among 49,950 women in North Jutland, Denmark in order to determine if breast cancer risk is associated with specific classes of AHT use. Poisson regression analyses were used to calculate rate ratios for ever or exclusive use of each class of AHT, number of prescriptions for AHT, and years of follow-up.


RESULTS
There was no statistically significant association between ever use of any AHT overall (RR = 0.95; 95% CI = 0.81-1.10) or any specific class of AHT (diuretics, beta blockers, calcium channel blockers (CCBs), angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, and angiotensin II antagonists) and breast cancer.


CONCLUSIONS
This study should offer further reassurance to women currently using AHT that their medication use is unlikely related to breast cancer risk.
Fryzek
Jon P
JP
Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Vanderbilt-Ingram Comprehensive Cancer Center, Nashville, TN, USA. fryzek@ aol.com
Poulsen
Aslak H
AH
Lipworth
Loren
L
Pedersen
Lars
L
Nørgaard
Mette
M
McLaughlin
Joseph K
JK
Friis
Søren
S
D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000009:adverse effects; D000368:Aged; D047228:Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Blockers / Q000009:adverse effects; D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000009:adverse effects; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000009:adverse effects; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D004232:Diuretics / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008875:Middle Aged; D012042:Registries; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors
D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; D047228:Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Blockers; D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D004232:Diuretics