[Relationship between antihypertensive drug use and development of atrial fibrillation in hypertensive patients in a Primary Care center].

INTRODUCTION

Although antihypertensive treatment can reduce the risk of cardiovascular morbimortality, studies aimed at evaluating the association between antihypertensive drug use and incidence of atrial fibrillation (AF) yield mixed results. This study aimed to determine the possible relationship between antihypertensive drug use and development of AF.

MATERIAL AND

METHODS

Case control study.

CASES: Hypertensive patients with AF diagnosed at least one year after the start of drug treatment for hypertension.

CONTROLS: Hypertensive patients without AF with pharmacological antihypertensive treatment for at least one year, matching by sex, age and duration of antihypertensive therapy at diagnosis of AF cases. The study included 136 cases and 132 controls.

VARIABLES: AF, antihypertensive drugs, control of hypertension, duration of treatment with antihypertensive drugs, number of antihypertensive drugs.

ANALYSIS: Crude OR were calculated, with logistic regression being used to calculate the adjusted odds ratios.

RESULTS

Overall, diuretics was close to statistical significance: OR 0.616 (95% CI 0.365 to 1.040), as a protective factor for development of AF. Calcium channel blockers behaved as a protective factor against development of AF at 75 years or older (OR 0.366; 95% CI 0.173 to 0.772), and within this age in women (OR 0.343; 95% CI 0.145-0.811).

CONCLUSIONS

Calcium channel blockers in the group of 75 years or more, especially in women, worked statistically significant as a drug protecting against the appearance of AF. Diuretics may have a protective role in AF incidence in all hypertensive patients.