Blood pressure drugs may be linked to breast cancer

August 5, 2013 (NEW YORK) (WLS) -- Does high blood pressure medicine affect breast cancer rates?

Millions of American adults have high blood pressure - and many take medicine to control it. These drugs, although beneficial, are not without side effects. Researchers have found one popular class of blood pressure drugs may be linked to higher breast cancer risk.

Approximately one in three American adults has high blood pressure. Many high blood pressure patients take drugs called calcium channel blockers to control it. In fact, doctors in the U.S. write nearly 98 million prescriptions for these medicines each year.

A new study funded by the National Cancer Institute shows that this useful Medicine may be tied to higher breast cancer risk in older women. Researchers studied more than 1,700 women age 55 and older. Those taking calcium channel blockers for 10 years or more had a two and a half times greater risk of two serious forms of breast cancer. The exact connection between these drugs and breast cancer is still unclear. Breast cancer occurs for a variety of reasons in women of all ages.

Bottom line: If you are taking calcium channel blockers and are concerned about breast cancer, talk to your doctor.

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