Antiplatelets and Beta-Blockers Linked to Heat-Related Heart Attacks

Data from a validated and complete registration of all 2,494 acute myocardial infarction (MI) cases in Augsburg, Germany, during warm seasons (May to September) from 2001 to 2014, suggested that heat-related non-fatal MI risk was elevated among users of anti-platelet medication and beta-receptor blockers, respectively, but not among non-users, with significant differences between users and non-users. The effect was stronger among younger patients (25–59 years) with a lower prevalence of pre-existing coronary heart disease (CHD, a potential confounder by indication), than among older patients (60–74 years) with a higher prevalence of pre-existing CHD. The findings suggest that users of anti-platelets and beta-blockers may be more vulnerable than non-users to non-fatal MI risk due to heat exposure, a known risk factor for MI. Source: https://www.nature.com/