February 2, 2016
Paul S. Mueller, MD, MPH, FACP reviewing Wong AYS et al. BMJ 2016 Jan 13.
Clarithromycin Is Associated with Excess Cardiovascular Risk.
But excess risk disappears after the antibiotic course is completed.Evidence suggests clarithromycin use is associated with excess cardiovascular (CV) risk, but whether such risk is short-term or long-term is unclear. In this population-based study, investigators in Hong Kong compared CV outcomes among 109,000 adults who received oral clarithromycin with outcomes among 218,000 adults who received oral amoxicillin (which is not associated with CV risk). Patients were matched by age, sex, and calendar year of antibiotic use.
Propensity-adjusted analyses showed that,
with current use, risk for myocardial infarction (MI) was 3.7 times higher and risk for arrhythmia was 2.2 times higher among clarithromycin users than among amoxicillin users. All-cause and cardiac-related mortality was roughly doubled among current clarithromycin users versus current amoxicillin users. These excess risks disappeared after 14 days of clarithromycin use (i.e., after completing the antibiotic course). Stroke risk was not elevated in clarithromycin users at any time. Subgroup analyses showed that risk with clarithromycin use was highest among people older than 75 and for those with hypertension-associated disease or diabetes.
COMMENT
In this study, only current clarithromycin use was associated with excess risk for MI, cardiac arrhythmia, and death. Case reports have linked clarithromycin with QT prolongation and arrhythmia — a possible mechanism for the noted excess CV risk.
Overall, caution is necessary when considering clarithromycin, especially in patients with, or at high risk for, CV disease.EDITOR DISCLOSURES AT TIME OF PUBLICATION
Disclosures for Paul S. Mueller, MD, MPH, FACP at time of publication
Consultant / advisory boardBoston Scientific (Patient Safety Advisory Board)
Editorial boardsMedical Knowledge Self-Assessment Program (MKSAP 17 General Internal Medicine Committee); MKSAP 17 General Internal Medicine (author/contributor)
Leadership positions in professional societiesAmerican Osler Society (Vice President)
CITATION(S):
Wong AYS et al.
Cardiovascular outcomes associated with use of clarithromycin: Population based study. BMJ 2016 Jan 13; 352:h6926. (Δεν είναι ορατοί οι σύνδεσμοι (links).
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