Common heart medications do not negatively affect the survival of multiple myeloma patients

A recent scientific study conducted by a research team from the University of Sharjah showed that a number of commonly used cardiovascular medications, including cholesterol-lowering medications and some high blood pressure medications, are not negatively associated with survival outcomes in patients with multiple myeloma, a type of blood cancer.

The study results were based on an analysis of data from three phase III clinical trials that included 1,804 patients, and were carried out within the framework of a research collaboration that included scientists and oncologists from the United States, Australia, and the United Arab Emirates.

The lead researcher of the study, Associate Professor of Pharmacology at the University of Sharjah, Dr. Ahmed Abu Helweh, said that many patients with multiple myeloma require cardiovascular medications, noting that the results of the study support the possibility of continuing to use a number of these common drug classes without clear evidence that they negatively affect survival outcomes within the context of clinical trials.

He explained that multiple myeloma often affects the elderly, many of whom take medications for cardiovascular diseases such as high blood pressure medications, cholesterol lowerers, and medications for heart rhythm disturbances, pointing out that scientific evidence was limited regarding the effect of these medications on cancer progression, survival, or side effects when receiving modern treatments for the disease.

He added that the research team analyzed patient data in the three trials to study whether the use of common cardiac drug classes when starting treatment is associated with a difference in important indicators such as progression-free survival, overall survival, and the rate of severe adverse events associated with treatment. He explained that the results showed, in general, that there is no association between most of these medications and worse survival outcomes after taking the patients’ various clinical factors into account.

For his part, Professor Humaid Al Shamsi, co-author of the study and visiting professor at Harvard Medical School, and consultant oncologist and CEO of the Burjeel Oncology Institute in the UAE, confirmed that the study is of interest to doctors because it addresses recurring questions in daily clinical practice about the possibility of heart medications interfering with cancer treatments.

He pointed out that such studies contribute to providing answers based on scientific evidence and emphasize the importance of collecting more systematic data about concomitant medications in oncology trials and real-life medical records, which helps doctors predict health events more accurately and customize supportive care for each patient.