Drug Used to Treat Arrhythmia Linked with Increased Risk of Cancer

A recent study published in the journal Cancer links the most-widely used drug for the treatment of arrhythmias, amiodarone, to an increased risk of developing cancer, especially in men.

Approved in the year 1985, the drug amiodarone was used to treat arrhythmias (irregular heartbeats), and is usually taken in the form of a tablet. Arrhythmias cause an irregular heartbeat that leads to several complications, such as blood clots and strokes.

The drug is fat-soluble and breaks down slowly, therefore large amounts of the drug remain in the soft tissue when it is prescribed for a long period. Prior to this, studies have linked the drug to an increased risk of cancers, but no large-scale study was conducted.

To prove the hypothesis, researchers studied 6,418 participants who were taking the drug. Data was obtained from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research database. The study was led by Vincent Yi-Fong Su, M.D., of the Taipei Veterans General Hospital in Taiwan, and his colleagues. On monitoring the participants for a period of 2.57 years, they noticed that nearly 280 participants developed cancer.

Men who consumed high cumulative daily doses of the drug within the first years had a severe risk of developing cancer. Those with both the factors had 46 percent chances of developing cancer when compared to those who didn't have any of the factors.

The researchers concluded that those who take high amounts of amiodarone were twice more likely to develop the risk of cancer than those consuming low amounts of the drug.

"We suggest that cancer events should be routinely reported in future amiodarone trials, and further observational research is necessary," Dr. Su was quoted as saying in MedicalXpress. "Also, when prescribing amiodarone, doctors need to keep in mind that this medication may increase cancer risk."