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Cancer risk and mortality in users of calcium channel blockers. A cohort study
H T Sørensen1, J H Olsen, L Mellemkjaer
1Department of Medicine V, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark.
Background:
Data regarding the association between the use of calcium channel blockers and cancer risk have been conflicting. In the current study, the authors examined the cancer risk and mortality in users of calcium channel blockers in North Jutland County, Denmark.
Methods:
The authors conducted a cohort study using record linkage between a population-based prescription database, the Danish Cancer Registry, and the Danish Death Registry including 23, 167 users of calcium channel blockers who received >/=2 prescriptions between January 1, 1989 and December 31, 1995. The authors calculated the standardized incidence ratios and standard mortality ratios for cancer, along with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (95% CI).
Results:
Overall, 967 incident cases of cancer occurred, resulting in a standardized incidence ratio of 1.04 (95% CI, 0.98-1.11). There was a slightly elevated nonsignificant risk of tobacco-related cancer. No increased risk of breast or colon carcinoma was observed. The cancer mortality was close to that expected in the background population (standardized mortality ratio of 0.97; 95% CI, 0.89-1.04).
Conclusions:
This large-scale, population-based cohort study adds to the increasing evidence indicating no substantial association between the use of calcium channel blockers and the incidence rate of cancer or cancer mortality.