Common medications raise sudden cardiac arrest risk in type 2 diabetes

New research unveiled at the Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) in Hamburg has pinpointed several key risk factors associated with an increased likelihood of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) in individuals with type 2 diabetes (T2D) that encompass widely prescribed antibiotics, antipsychotic drugs, prokinetics, and low fasting blood sugar.

The Study conducted with 3,919 T2D patients, including 689 SCA cases and 3,230 controls, this comprehensive investigation analyzed data spanning from 2010 to 2019 in the Dutch region of Noord-Holland. Each SCA case was meticulously matched by age, gender, and general practitioner practice with up to five non-SCA controls.

Medications at the Heart of the Matter: The research highlighted a link between various commonly used medications and alterations in the heart's electrical system, specifically known as QT-prolongation, characterized as QTc-prolonging. Notably, QTc-prolonging prokinetics, such as domperidone, QTc-prolonging antibiotics like macrolides and fluoroquinolones, and QTc-prolonging antipsychotics such as haloperidol all featured in this association.

Cardiovascular Disease: Among those with preexisting cardiovascular disease (CVD), factors like moderate and severe albuminuria, heart failure, and unknown albuminuria were found to be associated with an increased risk of SCA, ranging from 54% to 90%.

Without CVD: In participants without a history of CVD, a range of factors were linked to heightened SCA risk, including strict glycemic control, severely elevated systolic blood pressure, low HDL cholesterol levels, high LDL cholesterol levels, and the use of QTc-prolonging antipsychotic or antibiotic medications. The risk increase percentages varied from 35% to a striking 187%.

Reference: Diabetologia

Meeting: Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD)