Background: The comparative effects of cyclooxygenase-2- (COX-2) selective inhibitors and nonselective, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) on blood pressure are debated. Clinicians have been concerned about the need for antihypertensive treatment following therapy with these agents.
Objective: To compare initiation of antihypertensive treatment among new users of the COX-2-selective inhibitor rofecoxib and of nonselective NSAIDs in clinical practice.
Methods: Retrospective cohort study using the MediPlus (UK) database that covers 1.8 million patients throughout the UK. Patients included were at least 50 years of age, had at least 1 prescription for either diclofenac, ibuprofen, naproxen or rofecoxib (drugs of interest, DOIs), and had no prescription for any NSAID, COX-2 inhibitor, or antihypertensive treatment during the 6 months prior to their first/index prescription date. A subset of patients, classified as chronic and persistent new users, had at least 3 prescriptions of the index prescription DOI and did not switch to another DOI during the 6-month follow-up period. Logistic regression analysis, adjusted for potential predictors, was used to assess initiation of new antihypertensive treatment.
Results: 18,737 suitable patients were identified (diclofenac 7,861, ibuprofen 8,423, naproxen 1,556 and rofecoxib 897). Those using rofecoxib were older and more likely to be female than those using NSAIDs. During the 6 months following the index prescription, 7.0% of all new users and 11.5% of chronic and persistent new users initiated antihypertensive treatment. After adjusting for potential predictors there were no statistically significant differences in the risk of initiating antihypertensive treatment between new or chronic and persistent new users of rofecoxib, diclofenac, ibuprofen and naproxen (p > 0.05).
Conclusion: The results of this study did not indicate any significant differences in the initiation of antihypertensive therapy among patients who were prescribed rofecoxib and NSAIDs, even after multiple prescriptions.