UoS study finds heart medications do not affect survival in multiple myeloma patients

SHARJAH, 16th March, 2026 (WAM) — A new scientific study conducted by a research team at the University of Sharjah (UoS) has found that commonly prescribed cardiovascular medications, such as blood pressure drugs, appear to have little or no negative impact on survival among people living with multiple myeloma.

The study reflects a collaboration among scientists and oncologists in the United States, Australia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates.

“Many patients with multiple myeloma require cardiovascular medications. Our results support the idea that several common drug classes can often be continued without clear evidence of harming survival outcomes in the trial setting,” said Dr. Ahmad Abuhelwa, Study Lead Author and Associate Professor of Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmacometrics at the UoS.

He added that multiple myeloma primarily affects adults, many of whom take medications for heart and blood vessel conditions — including cholesterol-lowering therapies and drugs used to manage heart rhythm disorders. Despite their widespread use, there has been limited evidence on whether these medications influence cancer progression, survival, or treatment-related side effects when patients undergo modern myeloma therapies in large clinical trials.

To address this gap, the researchers analysed data from three major Phase III clinical trials in multiple myeloma, encompassing a total of 1,804 patients.

They assessed whether participants who were already taking widely used cardiovascular drug classes at the start of treatment experienced differences in key outcomes, such as progression-free survival, overall survival, or the rate of serious adverse events related to treatment.

“Overall, our results were reassuring, as most of the cardiovascular medication classes we studied were not associated with worse survival outcomes in these trials after adjustment for clinical factors,” Dr. Abuhelwa explained.

Co-author Humaid Al-Shamsi, professor of Medical Oncology at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, noted that the work currently holds particular interest for clinicians and academic oncologists, as it addresses a common real-world challenge doctors face every day.

“In the clinic, patients often ask whether their heart medications will interfere with cancer treatment. Studies like this help us answer with evidence and identify where closer monitoring might be needed,” he said.

Prof. Al-Shamsi, who is also a consultant oncologist and the CEO of Burjeel Cancer Institute in the UAE, said that the findings hold strong potential relevance for stakeholders outside academia. The study highlights the need for more systematic collection and analysis of concomitant medications in oncology trials and real-world registries.

Better data, the authors argue, will allow clinicians to anticipate adverse events more accurately and tailor supportive care to individual patients.