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ShareScienceDaily (Jan. 5, 2010) — New research suggests that tiotropium, a long-acting anticholinergic used in patients with COPD, may be associated with a reduction in all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality, and cardiovascular events.
Researchers from Caritas-St. Elizabeth Medical Center in Boston, MA, reviewed the outcomes of 30 completed clinical trials in the tiotropium project database. Within the trials, 10,846 patients were treated with tiotropium and 8,699 patients received a placebo.
Results indicated that patients treated with tiotropium had lower incidence rates (IR) of all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality, and cardiovascular events (IR = 3.44, .91, and 2.15 per 100 patients, respectively), compared with placebo (IR = 4.10, 1.24, and 2.67, respectively). Within the tiotropium group, the overall risk for serious or fatal lower respiratory events also was reduced.
The mechanism by which tiotropium may reduce cardiovascular mortality is unclear, but researchers speculate that there may be an association with the reduction in respiratory events.
The article is published in the January issue of Chest, the peer-reviewed journal of the American College of Chest Physicians.
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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by American College of Chest Physicians, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.
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