Use of SAMA, SABA Linked to Cardiovascular Events, Mortality in Asthma, COPD

FRIDAY, Sept. 11, 2026 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), increased use of short-acting muscarinic antagonists (SAMA) or short-acting beta2-agonists (SABA) + SAMA is associated with increased risks for cardiovascular events and mortality, according to a study published online Aug. 26 in ERJ Open Research.Frauke Van Vaerenbergh, from Ghent University in Belgium, and colleagues examined evidence of the association between use of short-acting bronchodilators and cardiovascular events in asthma/COPD populations, identified in a Belgium nationwide cohort between 2017 and 2022.The cohort included 226,314 patients with asthma and 57,446 patients with COPD (mean ages, 57.8 and 72.2 years, respectively). The researchers found that in patients with asthma and COPD, SAMA and SABA + SAMA use (one to two and three or more canisters/baseline year) was associated with an increased risk for heart failure (1.2- to 1.4-fold higher risk), arrhythmia (1.1- to 1.4-fold higher risk), and mortality (1.1- to 1.7-fold higher risk) compared with no use. In patients with asthma, use of one to two and three or more SABA + SAMA canisters/year was also associated with an increased risk for myocardial infarction (1.2- to 1.4-fold higher risk) and ischemic stroke (1.2- to 1.3-fold higher risk). In patients with COPD, use of three or more SABA + SAMA canisters/year was associated with a 1.4-fold increased risk for myocardial infarction. In patients with asthma and COPD, use of three or more SABA canisters/year was associated with a 1.1-fold increased risk for heart failure and mortality compared with no SABA use."Overuse of short-acting bronchodilator is usually the result of poor disease control, both COPD and uncontrolled asthma are linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases and death," coauthor Lies Lahousse, Ph.D., also from Ghent University, said in a statement.Two authors disclosed ties to the biopharmaceutical industry.Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required).Sign up for our weekly HealthDay newsletter

Use of SAMA, SABA Linked to Cardiovascular Events, Mortality in Asthma, COPD

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