The claim you’re referring to appears to be based on research involving high-dose nifedipine, a commonly prescribed blood pressure medication in the calcium-channel blocker family.
Researchers analyzing large cardiac arrest registries in the Netherlands and Denmark found that people taking high-dose nifedipine (60 mg/day or more) had a significantly higher risk of out-of-hospital sudden cardiac arrest compared with non-users and compared with people taking another common calcium-channel blocker, amlodipine. Lower-dose nifedipine did not show the same association, and amlodipine was not associated with increased risk in that study. (ScienceDaily)
A few important points:
- The study found an association, not definitive proof that nifedipine directly caused the cardiac arrests. (ScienceDaily)
- The researchers themselves cautioned that the findings needed replication before patients or doctors changed treatment plans. (ScienceDaily)
- Millions of people have taken nifedipine safely, and for many patients the benefits of blood-pressure control greatly outweigh potential risks. (ScienceDaily)
- Patients should not stop taking prescribed blood pressure medication without consulting their physician, as uncontrolled hypertension itself substantially increases the risk of heart attack, stroke, heart failure, kidney disease, and death. (PMC)
If you saw this claim in a recent article, video, or social media post, feel free to share the source and I can examine exactly what it says and whether it accurately reflects the underlying research.
