Several Drugs Linked to Risk for Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

THURSDAY, June 6, 2024 (HealthDay News) — Several commonly prescribed drugs are associated with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH), according to a study published online June 5 in Neurology.

Jos P. Kanning, from the University Medical Center Utrecht in the Netherlands, and colleagues conducted a drug-wide association study to examine the association between commonly prescribed drugs and aSAH incidence. Use of commonly prescribed drugs was examined across exposure windows (current, within three months; recent, three to 12 months; and past, >12 months). Exposure to 205 commonly prescribed drugs was investigated among 4,879 aSAH cases and 43,911 matched controls.

The researchers found similar trends for lisinopril and amlodipine, with a decreased risk for aSAH in association with current use, while the risk for aSAH was increased with recent use. The risk for aSAH was reduced with current use of simvastatin, metformin, and tamsulosin. Increased aSAH risk was seen in association with current use of warfarin, venlafaxine, prochlorperazine, and co-codamol.

“Future research should use a more hypothesis-driven approach to further investigate these associations and differentiate between drug class and specific drug substance effects,” the authors write. “In addition, this research may help identify additional risk factors for aSAH, potentially leading to new pharmacologic therapy options for aneurysmal management.”

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