blood pressure

DO SOME BLOOD PRESSURE MEDICATIONS CAUSE CANCER?

The short answer is no, but due to media reports numerous patients have called to ask about this recently.  

Increased scrutiny of prescription drugs by the Food and Drug Administration has led to the recall of certain batches of three dugs used for treating blood pressure—irbesartan, valsartan, and losartan.   Due a manufacturing error, certain lots of these medications were contaminated with N-nitrosodiethylamine (NDEA), which is a probable human carcinogen.   All of the affected drugs have been withdrawn from use and are no longer available.

While NDEA likely can cause cancer, the health risk of having taken the contaminated drugs is probably smaller than that posed by suddenly stopping any of the listed medications.  Check with your doctor first before making any decisions about stopping treatments for hypertension.