Thiazides and the Gallbladder
Some research has suggested that thiazide diuretics, commonly used to treat hypertension and cardiovascular disease, might be a contributing cause of gallstones. Researchers who evaluated 81,351 women prospectively in the Nurses’ Health Study found an increased but modest risk.
At the baseline examination, nearly 8% of the women reported using thiazide diuretics. Between 1980 and 2000, 8,607 women had a cholecystectomy. Compared with women who had never used these diuretics, the relative risk of cholecystectomy was 1.16 for previous users and 1.39 for current users.
No association was noted between medication furosemide (Lasix generic, Aventis) diuretic use and gallbladder surgery. The women’s concomitant use of other anti-hypertensive agents (e.g., beta blockers, calcium-channel blockers, and angio-tensin-converting enzyme-inhibitors) might explain the results.
