http://goo.gl/AdMWYn
The combination of a widely used heart medication and a commonly prescribedantibiotic seems to more than double the risk of sudden death in seniors, a new study says.
Spironolactone (brand name Aldactone) is a diuretic widely used in treating heart failure. It protects the heart by blocking a hormone that causes salt and fluid buildup.
But taking spironolactone alongside the antibiotic trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (brand names Septra, Bactrim) can cause blood potassium to rise to potentially life-threatening levels, said study lead author Tony Antoniou, a scientist with the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute at St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto.
"One of the consequences of a high potassium level is getting these irregular heart rhythms that can be quite dangerous and cause sudden deaths," Antoniou said.