Risk of adverse cardiovascular events with use of inhaled long-acting bronchodilators in management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Publication date: Available online 7 January 2019Source: Journal of Food and Drug AnalysisAuthor(s): Meng-Ting Wang, Jyun-Heng Lai, Chen-Liang Tsai, Jun-Ting LiouAbstractInhaled long-acting bronchodilators, including long-acting β2 agonists (LABAs) and long-acting muscarinic antagonists (LAMAs) are the mainstay therapy in the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a disease that poses a heavy burden on morbidity and mortality worldwide. Use of LABAs and LAMAs in patients with COPD, however, has been concerned about an increased risk of adverse cardiovascular events, despite inconsistent findings reported from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and observational studies. In this review, we detailed the relevant evidence generated from RCTs and observational studies with respect to the risk of cardiovascular disease with use of LABAs and LAMAs in management of COPD, and analyzed the contradictory findings in the literature, as well as recommended future research directions to clear the air regarding the cardiovascular safety of inhaled long-acting bronchodilators.Graphical abstract
Source: Journal of Food and Drug Analysis - Category: Food Science Source Type: research