Clarithromycin Use and Risk of Death in Patients with Ischemic Heart Disease

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: To examine whether treatment with clarithromycin was associated with an increased risk of death in patients with preexisting ischemic heart disease (IHD). METHODS: Employing nationwide registers, all patients with IHD events from 1997 to 2007 who subsequently claimed prescriptions for dual antibiotic treatment for eradication treatment were identified. The primary endpoint was all-cause mortality. RESULTS: The study included 214,330 individuals with IHD; 5,265 (2.5 %) of these claimed prescriptions for dual antibiotics. Compared with IHD patients not undergoing eradication therapy, no increase in the risk of all-cause mortality was demonstrated (HR 1.02; 95% CI 0.84-1.23, p = 0.87) after 5 years. CONCLUSIONS: The use of clarithromycin in the setting of eradication treatment for Helicobacter pylori in patients with IHD was not associated with an increased risk of death.