Thiazides May Up Risk for Skin Cancer in Older Adults

A study published in CMAJ , the journal of the Canadian Medical Association, associated higher exposure to thiazides with higher rates of incident keratinocyte carcinoma and melanoma among older adults, reports Medical Xpress . Adults 66 years and older with a first prescription for an antihypertensive medication were matched by age and sex to two unexposed adults prescribed a nonantihypertensive medication within 30 days of the index date. Included in the cohorts were 302,634 adults prescribed an antihypertensive medication and 605,268 unexposed subjects. The researchers observed a link between thiazide exposure and elevated rates of incident keratinocyte carcinoma, advanced keratinocyte carcinoma, and melanoma. "We found consistent dose-dependent increases in skin cancer risk associated with thiazides but not with other antihypertensive classes," the authors noted. "Clinicians may consider alternatives to thiazide diuretics to treat hypertension in patients at high risk for skin cancer."