Our research team at the University of Sharjah found that common heart medications do not have a negative impact on the survival rates of patients with multiple myeloma.
A recent scientific study conducted by a research team from Sharjah University has found that several commonly used medications for the heart and blood vessels, including cholesterol-lowering drugs and some blood pressure medications, are not associated with poor outcomes in patients with multiple myeloma, a type of blood cancer. The study analyzed data from three clinical trials involving 1,804 patients and was conducted as part of a collaborative research effort involving scientists and oncologists from the United States, Australia, and the United Arab Emirates. Dr. Ahmed Abu-Halawa, the lead researcher and a professor of pharmacy at Sharjah University, stated that many multiple myeloma patients require medications for heart and blood vessels, noting that the study's findings support the continued use of several common medication categories without clear evidence of adverse effects on patient outcomes within the context of clinical trials. The study found that multiple myeloma often affects older adults, many of whom take medications for heart and blood vessel conditions such as high blood pressure, cholesterol-lowering medications, and cardiac arrhythmia medications. However, scientific evidence has been limited regarding the impact of these medications on cancer progression, survival, or side effects when combined with modern cancer treatments. The research team analyzed patient data from the three trials to investigate whether the use of common cardiovascular medications at the start of treatment was associated with differences in important outcomes such as disease progression, overall survival, and severe adverse events. The results showed that most of these medications were not associated with worse outcomes, taking into account various clinical factors. Professor Hamid Shamisi, a co-author of the study and a visiting professor at Harvard University, and a consultant oncologist and executive director of the Perseus Oncology Institute in the UAE, noted that the study is of interest to doctors because it addresses recurring questions in daily clinical practice about the potential interaction between heart medications and cancer treatments. He emphasized that such studies contribute to providing evidence-based answers and highlight the importance of collecting more rigorous data on concomitant medications in oncology trials and medical records, which can help doctors predict health outcomes more accurately and tailor supportive care for each patient.
