title: Antihypertensive Medication Postpones the Onset of Glaucoma: Evidence From a Nationwide Study.
abstract: The aim was to investigate the impact of antihypertensive medication on the onset of glaucoma. Data from the complete Danish population between 40 and 95 years of age were used in the period from 1996 to 2012, covering >2.6 million individuals. The National Danish Registry of Medicinal Products Statistics was used to identify all claimed prescriptions for glaucoma medication and antihypertensive drugs. We first investigated basic correlations in the data and found that patients treated with antihypertensive medication, at any time during the study period, had a significantly higher overall relative risk (RR) of glaucoma, even when controlling for age and sex (with a RR of 1.31 and P<0.0001). Furthermore, our data confirm the well-known positive association between age and glaucoma. To investigate the causal effect of antihypertensive treatment on the onset of treatment for glaucoma, we used a regression discontinuity study design. This analysis provides our main finding, namely that prescription of antihypertensive medication leads to a significant reduction in the risk of developing glaucoma. Therefore, although hypertension-as indicated by the use of antihypertensive medication-is positively correlated with glaucoma, our study indicates that antihypertensive medication itself may have a preventive effect on the development of glaucoma.
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology (A.H.), Center for Healthy Aging (A.H., M.K.), Department of Economics (M.K.), and Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology (M.K.), University of Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Economics and Population Studies and Training Center, Brown University, Providence, RI (M.K.); Department of Cardiology, Copenhagen University Hospital Glostrup, Denmark (J.J.); New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai (J.C.T.); Department of Health, Science and Technology, Aalborg University Hospital, Denmark (C.T.-P.); and Department of Ophthalmology, Zealand University Hospital, Roskilde, Denmark (M.K). miriamk@sund.ku.dk anna.horwitz@protonmail.com.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Horwitz
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology (A.H.), Center for Healthy Aging (A.H., M.K.), Department of Economics (M.K.), and Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology (M.K.), University of Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Economics and Population Studies and Training Center, Brown University, Providence, RI (M.K.); Department of Cardiology, Copenhagen University Hospital Glostrup, Denmark (J.J.); New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai (J.C.T.); Department of Health, Science and Technology, Aalborg University Hospital, Denmark (C.T.-P.); and Department of Ophthalmology, Zealand University Hospital, Roskilde, Denmark (M.K).
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Klemp
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology (A.H.), Center for Healthy Aging (A.H., M.K.), Department of Economics (M.K.), and Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology (M.K.), University of Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Economics and Population Studies and Training Center, Brown University, Providence, RI (M.K.); Department of Cardiology, Copenhagen University Hospital Glostrup, Denmark (J.J.); New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai (J.C.T.); Department of Health, Science and Technology, Aalborg University Hospital, Denmark (C.T.-P.); and Department of Ophthalmology, Zealand University Hospital, Roskilde, Denmark (M.K).
authors.forename: Jørgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jeppesen
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology (A.H.), Center for Healthy Aging (A.H., M.K.), Department of Economics (M.K.), and Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology (M.K.), University of Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Economics and Population Studies and Training Center, Brown University, Providence, RI (M.K.); Department of Cardiology, Copenhagen University Hospital Glostrup, Denmark (J.J.); New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai (J.C.T.); Department of Health, Science and Technology, Aalborg University Hospital, Denmark (C.T.-P.); and Department of Ophthalmology, Zealand University Hospital, Roskilde, Denmark (M.K).
authors.forename: James C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology (A.H.), Center for Healthy Aging (A.H., M.K.), Department of Economics (M.K.), and Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology (M.K.), University of Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Economics and Population Studies and Training Center, Brown University, Providence, RI (M.K.); Department of Cardiology, Copenhagen University Hospital Glostrup, Denmark (J.J.); New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai (J.C.T.); Department of Health, Science and Technology, Aalborg University Hospital, Denmark (C.T.-P.); and Department of Ophthalmology, Zealand University Hospital, Roskilde, Denmark (M.K).
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Torp-Pedersen
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology (A.H.), Center for Healthy Aging (A.H., M.K.), Department of Economics (M.K.), and Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology (M.K.), University of Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Economics and Population Studies and Training Center, Brown University, Providence, RI (M.K.); Department of Cardiology, Copenhagen University Hospital Glostrup, Denmark (J.J.); New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai (J.C.T.); Department of Health, Science and Technology, Aalborg University Hospital, Denmark (C.T.-P.); and Department of Ophthalmology, Zealand University Hospital, Roskilde, Denmark (M.K). miriamk@sund.ku.dk anna.horwitz@protonmail.com.
authors.forename: Miriam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kolko
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005544:Forecasting; D005901:Glaucoma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007429:Intraocular Pressure / Q000187:drug effects*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents
keywords: epidemiology; glaucoma; hypertension; registries; risk