http://www.heartcenteronline.com/myheartdr/home/research-detail.cfm?reutersid=4840
Efficacy of blood pressure drug questioned
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Nov 08 (Reuters) - A leading drug used by millions of people to lower
blood pressure does not prevent deaths from heart attacks or other
cardiovascular problems as well as other treatments, researchers said
on Friday.
Atenolol, which is sold under the brand name Tenormin by drugs giant
AstraZeneca, was first introduced in 1976. It is one of the most
widely prescribed drugs of its kind.
But Swedish scientists have questioned its benefits after reviewing
the results of nine previous studies of the drug.
"Our results cast doubt on atenolol as a suitable drug for
hypertensive patients," Professor Lars Hjalmar Lindholm, of Umea
University in Sweden, said in a report in The Lancet medical journal.
Atenolol belongs to a class of drugs known as beta blockers, which are
prescribed for high blood pressure, angina and to prevent repeat heart
attacks. The drugs help relieve stress on the heart and slow its beat.
Lindholm and his team examined the results of four studies that
compared atenolol with a placebo, or dummy pill, and five that
contrasted its effects with other blood pressure-lowering drugs.
The research showed the drug was no better than a placebo in reducing
deaths from heart attacks or heart disease. But in one study the drug
reduced stroke more than in patients who were not receiving any
treatment.
"The main finding was that atenolol could not be shown to have the
same preventive effects on cardiovascular disease as other common
anti-hypertension drugs," Dr Bo Carlberg, who worked on the study,
said in an interview.
"Compared with the placebo, atenolol did not decrease all-cause
mortality. It did not decrease cardiovascular mortality and did not
decrease myocardial infraction (heart attack)," he added.
The scientists said they were surprised there were so few studies that
looked at atenolol on its own, rather than in combination with other
drugs. They themselves examined the impact of atenolol only and did
not look at other beta blockers.
"Atenolol should not be a first-line drug for hypertension," said
Carlberg, adding that it should also not be used as a comparative drug
in studies to test the effects of new blood pressure-lowering drugs.
Publish Date: November 08, 2004
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How many people have spent their hard earned cash to treat their
conditons with a drug that was completely useless. And what side
effects have the suffered from this useless drug.
AstraZeneca should be shut down and heads should roll at the FDA.
TC