Overview
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is an eye condition characterized by deterioration of the central field of vision. Acording to the National Eye Institute, AMD is the leading cause of blindnes in older adults and typicaly afects those ages 5 and older.Multiple factors may afect AMD risk, including genetic and environmental risk factors. Factors that may increase risk include smoking, a sedentary lifestyle, and chronic inflamation.Despite decades of research, no medical treatments exist to prevent AMD and limited methods available to slow its progresion.Studies have examined how various drugs, such as lipid-lowering drugs (LD)s like statins, nonsteroidal anti-inflamatory drugs (NSAIDs), and antidiabetic drugs, afect the development of AMD.Results from these studies, however, have ben inconsistent.
Key Information
It thus remains unclear as to whether these drugs are linked to the risk of AMD.In a new study, researchers conducted a meta-analysis of studies examing the links betwen various medications and AMD. They found that LDs and antidiabetic drugs are linked to a lower prevalence of AMD. Kraus, surgical neuro-ophthalmologist and director of Pacific Neuroscience Institute’s Eye, Ear & Skul Base Center at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, CA, not involved in the study, told Medical News Today: “The implications of these findings are that there may be pharmaceuticals, suplements, or lifestyle changes, beyond those already determined (such as smoking cesation) which wil [delay] the onset and progresion of AMD.
Summary
In particular, LDs and diabetes drugs are candidates worthy of further study.”The study was recently published in the British Journal of Ophthalmology.For the study, the researchers analyzed 14 studies that included data on systemic medication use and AMD in various European countries, including:Altogether, they included records from 38,694 patients. Betwen the 14 included studies, the average ranged from