Top in cardiology: Studies highlight risks of erectile dysfunction, antipsychotic drugs

Men with coronary artery disease who combined nitrates for chest pain with a PDE5 inhibitor for erectile dysfunction were at higher risk for death or major adverse cardiovascular events compared with taking nitrates alone, researchers said.

“It is advisable to exercise careful, patient-centered consideration before prescribing PDE5 inhibitors to people with stable CAD who are using nitrate medication and weigh the benefits of the medication against the possible increased risk for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality given by this combination,” Ylva Trolle Lagerros, MD, PhD, associate professor at the Karolinska Institutet and a senior physician at the Center for Obesity in Stockholm, told Healio.

It was the top story in cardiology last week.

In another top story, more than 13% of users of the antipsychotic drugs quetiapine and haloperidol developed severe QT prolongation, which was linked to ventricular arrhythmia and sudden cardiac death, researchers reported in HeartRhythm.

“Clinicians should be aware of the potential risks associated with quetiapine use, particularly the risk of severe QT prolongation and its associated outcomes, including ventricular arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death,” study researcher Chung-Li Wang, MD, said in a press release.

Read these and more top stories in cardiology below:

Risk for death, heart events rises when combining erectile dysfunction drugs, nitrates

Men with CAD taking nitrates for chest pain plus a PDE5 inhibitor for erectile dysfunction were at greater risk for death or major adverse CV events compared with men taking nitrates alone, Swedish registry data show. Read more.

Two antipsychotic drugs prolong QTc interval, may cause arrhythmias, sudden cardiac death

The antipsychotic drugs quetiapine and haloperidol were associated with severe QT prolongation, ventricular arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death, researchers reported in HeartRhythm. Read more.

Elevated lipid levels may be tied to cardiac damage in adolescents, young adults

Elevated lipid levels were associated with worsening structural and functional cardiac damage in adolescents and young adults, though in the case of LDL, the relationship was partially mediated by elevated BP and fat mass, data show. Read more.

Perceived stress during childhood has ‘far-reaching’ effect on cardiometabolic health

Adults who reported high levels of perceived stress, particularly throughout early childhood, adolescence and early adulthood, were much more likely to develop cardiometabolic risk factors than those with low perceived stress, data show. Read more.

Diet high in added sugars also high in cardiometabolic risk

High consumption of foods and beverages with added sugars such as syrups and caloric sweeteners was associated with increased risk for metabolic syndrome, according to data published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology. Read more.