Three drug groups linked to lower risk after heart attack
Anti-clotting drugs were linked to lower relative risk of death or repeat heart attack versus nonuse, with a hazard ratio of 0.76.
Limit: Prescription refills did not confirm that people took the drugs
Edited by Boris Djordjevic · AgingResearch.News
In an observational register study, researchers followed 96,272 people aged 18–84 in Sweden after their first heart attack; 29.3% were women. They linked hospital records from 2006–2022 with prescription dispensing records and updated medication use every three months. Use of all four drug groups fell markedly during the first year.
Anti-clotting drugs, drugs that lower blood fats and two related types of blood-pressure drugs were each associated with lower risk of death from any cause or another heart attack. Beta-blockers, drugs that slow the heartbeat, were associated with slightly higher risk of that combined outcome, with a hazard ratio of 1.04. Hazard ratios compare risk over time between medication use and nonuse. During a median follow-up of 5.6 years, 32.9% died.
Why it matters
Preventing further illness after a heart attack is part of maintaining health in later life. The authors identified long-term medication adherence as an area for improvement.
Caveats
This observational study could not establish cause and effect, and prescription refills did not confirm that people took the drugs. It covered adults aged 18–84 and excluded users of Sweden’s prepackaged medication service.
- Beta-blockers
- Ace inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers
- Renin–angiotensin system
- Myocardial infarction
- Heart failure
- Humans
The paper
Sahlgrenska University Hospital
European Heart Journal Quality of Care & Clinical Outcomes, Mar 26, 2026, Open access
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