Wednesday May 28, 2014 (foodconsumer.org) -- Taking high blood pressure drugs vasodilators may increase risk of early-stage age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a study in the May 2014 issue of Ophthalmology suggests.

The study shows patients who took any high blood pressure drugs including any vasodilator such as Apresoline and Loniten were 75% more likely to develop Early-stage age-related macular degeneration,  a vision condition that can eventually to blindness.  This association was derived after all other psibble cofounders were considered.

Early-stage age-related macular degeneration is the leading cause of vision loss and blindness among Americans aged 65 or older, according to the background information in the study report.

The study on the link between AMD risk and blood pressure lowering drugs was based on data from 5,000 residents of Beaver Dam  Wisconsin aged 43 to 86 years who were enlisted by the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health to participate in the study between 1988 to 2013. 

The study revealed that among those taking a vasodilator, 19.1% were found to have developed AMD, compared to 8.2% among those who did not take vasodilators.

In addition, the study also found taking oral beta blockers such as Tenormin and Lopressor was correlated with a 71 percent increase in the risk of neovascular AMD, a worse version of the eye disease that can lead to blindness, compared with those who did not take any.

Specifically, among those who did not take oral beta blockers, 0.5 percent developed symptoms of neovascular AMD.   This is compared to 1.2% among those who took oral beta blockers. (David Liu, PHD)