Acute myocardial infarction mortality related to use of calcium antagonists before admission to hospital

Cardiovasc Drugs Ther. 1998 May;12(2):183-7. doi: 10.1023/a:1007783227823.

Abstract

We investigated whether prior use of calcium antagonists in 80 (16.8%) out of 477 patients (64% males) admitted with acute myocardial infarction (MI) had any impact on in-hospital mortality. Patients using calcium antagonists were slightly older (74 years vs. 72 years, 2P = 0.039) than those not taking them and fewer were male patients. Previous MI, diabetes mellitus, and prior use of aspirin, beta-blockers, and long-acting nitrates were more frequent in patients on calcium antagonists. In contrast, fewer patients on calcium antagonists prior to symptoms received thrombolytic treatment (21.3% vs. 34.8%, 2P = 0.018). The study had an observational exposed/nonexposed design, and we looked for both crude and adjusted effects. Of the 83 patients (17.4%) who died during hospitalization, 18 patients were in the calcium antagonist group (22.5%). The odds ratio (OR) for these patients to die in the hospital was 1.48 and the 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.78-2.78; 2P = 0.19. When adjusting for confounders (gender, age, smoking habit, previous MI, and diabetes mellitus, as well as prior use of aspirin, beta-blockers, long-acting nitrates, and thrombolytic treatment at entry) OR was 1.08 and 95% CI 0.57-2.05; 2P = 0.85. Thus, we found no excess in-hospital mortality in patients with acute MI using calcium antagonists prior to the onset of symptoms.

MeSH terms

  • Acute Disease
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Calcium Channel Blockers / adverse effects*
  • Drug Interactions
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Myocardial Infarction / complications
  • Myocardial Infarction / mortality*
  • Norway / epidemiology
  • Odds Ratio

Substances

  • Calcium Channel Blockers