Long-term Effects of Antihypertensive Drug Use and New-onset Osteoporotic Fracture in Elderly Patients: A Population-based Longitudinal Cohort Study

Angiotensin Receptor Blocker is Associated with a Lower Fracture Risk: An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND

Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) are widely used in the treatment of hypertension. Hypertension is often accompanied by osteoporosis. However, the relationship between ACEI/ARB and fractures remains controversial. The purpose of this meta-analysis was to update the potential relationship between ACEI/ARB and fractures.

METHODS

This meta-analysis was identified through PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science. Related studies about ACEI/ARB with the risk of fracture were published from inception to June 2022.

RESULTS

Nine qualified prospective designed studies, involving 3,649,785 subjects, were included in this analysis. Overall, the RRs of ACEI compared with the nonusers were 0.98 (95% CI: 0.88, 1.10; P < 0.001) for composite fractures and 0.96 (95% CI: 0.87, 1.05; P=0.048) for hip fractures; the RRs of ARB compared to the nonusers were 0.82 (95% CI: 0.73, 0.91; P < 0.001) for composite fractures and 0.85 (95% CI: 0.74, 0.97; P=0.028) for hip fractures. Furthermore, in the subgroup analysis, male may benefit from ARB (RR = 0.65, 95% CI: 0.49, 0.89, P=0.028), and the European may also benefit from ARB (RR = 0.86, 95% CI: 0.80, 0.93, P=0.015).

CONCLUSIONS

ACEI usage will not decrease the risk of osteoporosis fracture. On the contrary, ARB usage can decrease the risk of total fracture and hip fracture, especially for males and Europeans. Compared with ACEI, for patients at higher risk of fracture in cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension, the protective effect of ARB should be considered.

Thiazide Use and Fracture Risk: An updated Bayesian Meta-Analysis

The association between thiazide use and fracture risk is still controversial. We conducted an updated meta-analysis on the association between thiazide use and fracture risk. We systematically searched PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane library databases for all types of human studies, including observational and experimental studies that were published up until July 2019. We also manually searched the reference lists of relevant studies. The pooled relative risks (RRs) with 95% credible interval (CrI) were calculated using a Bayesian hierarchical random effect model. A total of 19 case-control (N = 496,568 subjects) and 21 cohort studies (N = 4,418,602 subjects) were included in this meta-analysis. The pooled RR for fractures associated with thiazide use was 0.87 (95% CrI: 0.70–0.99) in case-control and 0.95 (95% CrI: 0.85–1.08) in cohort studies. The probabilities that thiazide use reduces any fracture risk by more than 0% were 93% in case-control studies and 72% in cohort studies. Significant heterogeneity was found for both case-control (p < 0.001, I² = 75%) and cohort studies (p < 0.001, I² = 97.2%). Thiazide use was associated with reduced fracture risk in case-control studies, but not in cohort studies. The associations demonstrated in case-control studies might be driven by inherent biases, such as selection bias and recall bias. Thus, thiazide use may not be a protective factor for fractures.

Thiazide Diuretics and the Incidence of Osteoporotic Fracture: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Cohort Studies

Background: Thiazide diuretics may improve bone mineral density. However, results are inconsistent for studies evaluating the association between thiazides and risk of osteoporotic fracture. We performed an updated meta-analysis of cohort studies to determine the association between thiazides use and fracture risk.

Methods: Relevant studies were identified via systematic search of PubMed and Embase. A random-effect model was used for meta-analysis. Subgroup analyses were performed to explore the potential influences of study characteristics on the outcome.

Results: Seventeen cohort studies with 3,537,504 participants were included. The pooled results showed that use of thiazide diuretics at baseline did not significantly affect the risk of overall osteoporotic fracture incidence as compared with controls (risk ratio [RR]: 0.96, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.83 to 1.09, p = 0.51) with significant heterogeneity (p for Cochrane’s Q test < 0.001, I² = 90%). Results of subgroup analyses indicated that general status of the participants may be an important determinant for the association between thiazide diuretics and subsequent risk of osteoporotic fracture. Use of thiazide diuretics was associated with significantly reduced risk of fracture in patients with acute status including new-onset stroke or spinal cord injury (RR: 0.70, 95% CI: 0.57 to 0.86, p < 0.001), but not in those with good conditions such as community-dwelling population or hypertensive patients (p for subgroup difference = 0.02).

Conclusions: Use of thiazide diuretics is not associated with significantly affected risk of overall osteoporotic fracture. However, the association may be different according to the general status of the participants.

The renin-angiotensin aldosterone system and osteoporosis: findings from the Women's Health Initiative

New users of RAAS inhibitors, including ACE inhibitors and ARBs, have a small increased risk for fracture in the first 3 years of use, with a reduced risk of fracture with longer duration of use.

INTRODUCTION

Pharmacological inhibitors of the renin-angiotensin aldosterone system (RAAS) are used to treat hypertension. However, the relationship of these medications to osteoporosis is inconsistent, and no study has included simultaneous measurements of both incident fractures and bone mineral density (BMD).

METHODS

The association of RAAS inhibitor use (n = 131,793) with incident fractures in new users of these medications in women in the Women's Health Initiative over a minimum median follow-up of 6.5 years was assessed by Cox proportional hazard models. The association of incident fractures by a cumulative duration of use of these medications (< 3 years.) and (> 3 years.) was also estimated. Subgroup analysis of fracture risk by RAAS inhibitor use confined to women with hypertension was also performed (n = 33,820). The association of RAAS inhibitor use with changes in BMD of the hip was estimated by linear regression in 8940 women with dual energy X-ray absorptiometry measurements.

RESULTS

There was no significant association between RAAS inhibitor use and all fractures in the final adjusted multivariable models including hip BMD (HR 0.86 (0.59, 1.24)). However, among users of RAAS inhibitors, including ACE inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), hazard ratios for all incident fracture sites in final multivariable models including hip BMD showed dramatic differences by duration of use, with short duration of use (3 years or less) associated with a marked increased risk for fracture (HR 3.28 (1.66, 6.48)) to (HR 6.23 (3.11, 12.46)) and use for more than 3 years associated with a reduced fracture risk (HR 0.40 (0.24, 0.68) to (HR 0.44 (0.20, 0.97)) . Findings were similar in the subgroup of women with a history of hypertension. There was no significant change in BMD of the hip by RAAS inhibitor use.

CONCLUSIONS

In postmenopausal women, use of RAAS inhibitors, including ACE inhibitors and ARBs, is associated with an increased risk for fracture among new users of these medications in the first 3 years of use. However, long-term use (> 3 years) is associated with a reduced risk. Consideration for fracture risk may be part of the decision-making process for initiation of these medications for other disease states.

Decreased blood pressure among community dwelling older adults following progressive muscle relaxation and music therapy (RESIK)

Background

Hypertension is a major risk factor related to leading causes of death among older adults. Numerous efforts have been done but they still remain sub-optimal. This condition encourages development of a non-pharmacological therapy to complement pharmacological therapy, such as progressive muscle relaxation and music therapy (RESIK). The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of RESIK on blood pressure among older adults with hypertension in Depok Indonesia.

Methods

This study used quasi experimental design with pre and post test with control group approach. One-hundred older adults with hypertension were divided into two groups using stratified random sampling and purposive sampling.

Result

After 11 sessions of RESIK therapy in 6 days, the paired t-test showed a decrease in systolic blood pressure to 29.2 mmHg and a decrease in diastolic blood pressure to 16.2 mmHg.

Conclusion

In conclusion, RESIK decreased systolic blood pressure p < 0,001, but it did not significantly decrease diastolic blood pressure p > 0.167. It is recommended that RESIK be used regularly for an older adult population with hypertension.

Thiazide diuretic usage and risk of fracture: a meta-analysis of cohort studies

Inconsistent findings in regard to association between thiazide diuretic use and the risk of fracture have been reported during the past decade. This updated meta-analysis, which pooled data from 11 qualified prospective designed studies, found that thiazides have a significant protective effect on fracture risk.

INTRODUCTION

An updated comprehensive meta-analysis examine the association between thiazide diuretic use and therisk of fracture is needed.

METHODS

Cohort studies regarding thiazide diuretic exposure and the risk of fracture, published from inception to May 1 2017, were identified through MEDLINE, EMBASE, SCOPUS, and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. The literature search, study selection, study appraisal, and data extraction were pre-defined in the protocol and were independently conducted by two investigators. Due to the heterogeneity of the original studies, a random effects model was used to pool the confounder-adjusted relative risk (RR).

RESULTS

Eleven eligible cohort studies involving 2,193,160 participants were included for analysis. Overall, thiazide diuretic users, as compared with non-users, had a significant 14% reduction in the risk of all fractures (relative risk [RR], 0.86; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.80-0.93; p = 0.009) and an 18% reduction in the risk of hip fracture (RR, 0.82; 95%CI, 0.80-0.93; p = 0.009). However, the effect size associated with thiazide use became slightly weaker when the analysis was limited to only high-quality original studies (quality score > 8) (RR, 0.89; 95%CI, 0.80-0.99; p = 0.005), studies with a larger sample size (> 10,000) (RR, 0.90; 95%CI, 0.80-1.00; p = 0.002), and studies published after 2007 (RR, 0.92; 95%CI, 0.82-1.02; p = 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Our findings indicate that thiazide diuretic use may convey a decreased risk of fracture and as such, the protective effect of this class of medicine should be considered when prescribing thiazide diuretics in clinical practice.

The Impact of Antihypertensive Medications on Bone Mineral Density and Fracture Risk

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

This review summarizes the impact of thiazide diuretics on fracture risk in older hypertensive individuals.

RECENT FINDINGS

We performed a post hoc evaluation of the Antihypertensive and Lipid-Lowering Treatment to Prevent Heart Attack Trial, a randomized, prospective, double blind hypertension study comparing a thiazide-like diuretic, a calcium channel blocker (CCB), and an angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEi). We examined the risk of hip and pelvic fractures during the in-trial period (n = 22,180 participants; mean 4.9-year follow-up) and during the post-trial period using national data bases (n = 16,622 participants) (mean total follow-up 7.8 years). During the trial, participants randomized to the thiazide diuretic versus the CCB or the ACEi had a lower risk of fracture on adjusted analyses (HR 0.79 [95% CI, 0.63, 0.98], p = 0.04). Risk of fracture was significantly lower in participants randomized to the diuretic as compared to those randomized to the ACEi (HR 0.75 [95% CI, 0.58, 0.98]; p = 0.04), but not significantly different compared to the CCB (HR 0.87 [95% CI, 0.71, 1.09]; p = 0.17). Over the entire trial and post-trial period of follow-up, the cumulative incidence of fractures was non-significantly lower in participants assigned to the diuretic vs assignment to the ACEi or the CCB (HR 0.87 [0.74-1.03], p = 0.10) and versus each medication separately. These findings establish a benefit for thiazide diuretic treatment for the prevention of fractures versus other commonly used antihypertensive medications using prospective, randomized data. The effects of the thiazide diuretic on bone appear to be long lasting.

Renin-angiotensin system inhibitors and risk of fractures: a prospective cohort study and meta-analysis of published observational cohort studies

The renin-angiotensin system (RAS) represents an important target of antihypertensive medications. Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEI) and angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARB), which are widely-used RAS inhibiting drugs, have been suggested to have beneficial effects on bone tissue. We aimed to assess the associations of use of ACEIs and/or ARBs with the risk of fractures using a population-based prospective cohort and a meta-analysis of published prospective cohort studies. Information on antihypertensive medication use (including both ACEIs and ARBs) were assessed in 1743 men and women of the Kuopio Ischemic Heart Disease prospective cohort study. Hazard ratios (HRs) [95% confidence intervals (CI)] of ACEIs or ARBs use with incident fractures were calculated. A total of 203 composite (hip, humeral, and wrist) fractures occurred during a median follow-up of 14.8 years. In multivariate adjusted analysis, the HR for composite fractures comparing users of ACEIs or ARBs with non-users was 1.00 (0.59-1.69). The corresponding adjusted HR for hip fractures comparing users versus non-users of ACEIs or ARBs was 0.89 (0.32-2.47). Including the current study, a total of 11 observational cohort studies involving 3526,319 participants and >323,355 fractures were included in a meta-analysis. Comparing ACEI users with non-users and ARB users with non-users, the HRs for composite fractures were 1.09 (0.89-1.33) and 0.87 (0.76-1.01) respectively. The corresponding HRs for hip fractures were 0.91 (0.86-0.95) and 0.80 (0.75-0.85) respectively. Use of RAS inhibitors was not associated with long-term risk of composite fractures in both primary and pooled analyses. Pooled evidence however suggests a beneficial effect of RAS blockers on hip fracture risk.