Risk of colorectal polyps tied to blood pressure medications

(HealthDay)—Blood pressure medications may raise the risk of colorectal polyps, according to a study published online Sept. 10 in the Journal of Digestive Diseases.

Yoshitaka Watanabe, from the University of Tokyo, and colleagues analyzed data from 1,318 consecutive patients undergoing first-time total colonoscopy. Comorbidities and medications taken were recorded.

The researchers found that colorectal polyps were found in 43.8 percent of subjects. In patients taking hypertension treatments, the prevalence of colorectal polyps was 57.6 percent, versus 35 percent in patients without such treatment. Age, waist circumference, drinking, smoking, and antihypertensive drug use were independent risk factors for colorectal polyps in multivariate analysis. The number of antihypertensive drugs was strongly associated with the risk of colorectal polyps, whereas blood pressure showed no significant association in secondary multivariate analysis.

"Antihypertensive drug use may be a risk factor for colorectal polyps. Furthermore, this risk increases with the intensive use of antihypertensive drugs," conclude the authors.