1. Home>
2. Specialties>
3. General Medicine>
4. Summary and Comment

Antibiotic Use Associated with Reduced MI Risk

Several studies have suggested that infectious agents such as Chlamydia pneumoniae may play a role in the development of coronary artery disease -- but does that mean that prescribing antibiotics would reduce the incidence of cardiovascular conditions? This case-control study analyzed computerized patient records collected from 350 general practices in the U.K. from 1992 to 1997 to explore this question.

Researchers compared antibiotic use patterns during the three years prior to a first myocardial infarction among 3,315 patients aged 75 years or less with those of 13,139 controls matched for demographic variables and date of infarction. Tetracycline use was associated with a 30 percent reduction in the odds of a first acute MI, and quinolone use with a 55 percent reduction. No trend was evident for the use of macrolides, sulfonamides, penicillins, or cephalosporins.

Comment: The absence of evidence of protection associated with macrolides may reflect the fact that most of the patients used older agents not effective against chlamydia. These data are enticing, but not proof that antibiotics might help reduce coronary disease; no one should prescribe antibiotics for this purpose, until further research explores the risks and benefits of this strategy.

— TH Lee

Published in Journal Watch General Medicine February 16, 1999

Citation(s):

Meier CR et al. Antibiotics and risk of subsequent first-time acute myocardial infarction. JAMA 1999 Feb 3 281 427-431.

• Original article (Subscription may be required)
• Medline abstract (Free)