Intake of blood pressure pills could increase the risk of potentially deadly appendicitis by up to 63 per cent, a new study has found.
Types of blood pressure pill like ACE inhibitors and ARBs raised the risk considerably in millions of people.
The two types can cause swelling in the bowel which inflames the appendix - a vestigial finger-like pouch connected to the large intestine, ‘The Sun’ reported.
When this occurs, it must be removed within hours or a deadly infection can set in. Around 300,000 men and women were studied at the Beth Deaconess Hospital, Boston, US.
Researchers discovered ACEs and ARBs appeared to increase the chance of appendix trouble by 36 to 63 per cent. Generic drug names for ACEs include ramipril, lisinopril and perindopril.
ARBs include telmisartan, losartan and candesartan, the paper reported.
None of the other blood pressure tablets, like beta-blockers or calcium-channel blockers, had the same effect.
The National Health Service (NHS) in UK issues more than 50 million prescriptions for the pills each year. The drugs work by keeping the arteries open, boosting blood flow.
“It’s vital people continue to take their medication and discuss their individual risk, if any, with their doctor,” the British Heart Foundation said.
