@article {Calverley719, author = {Peter M A Calverley and Julie A Anderson and Bartolome Celli and Gary T Ferguson and Christine Jenkins and Paul W Jones and Courtney Crim and Lisa R Willits and Julie C Yates and J{\o}rgen Vestbo}, title = {Cardiovascular events in patients with COPD: TORCH Study results}, volume = {65}, number = {8}, pages = {719--725}, year = {2010}, doi = {10.1136/thx.2010.136077}, publisher = {BMJ Publishing Group Ltd}, abstract = {Background Previous studies have suggested that long-term use of β agonists to treat chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) may increase the risk of cardiovascular adverse events. In this post hoc analysis, data from the TOwards a Revolution in COPD Health (TORCH) study were used to investigate whether use of the long-acting β2 agonist salmeterol over 3 years increased the risk of cardiovascular adverse events in patients with moderate to severe COPD.Methods TORCH was a randomised, double-blind, placebo controlled study conducted at 444 centres in 42 countries. Patients (n=6184; safety population) received twice daily combined salmeterol 50 μg plus fluticasone propionate 500 μg (SFC), either component alone, or placebo. Adverse events were recorded every 12 weeks for 3 years.Results The probability of having a cardiovascular adverse event by 3 years was 24.2\% for placebo, 22.7\% for salmeterol, 24.3\% for fluticasone propionate and 20.8\% for SFC. Although a history of myocardial infarction doubled the probability of cardiovascular adverse events, the event rates remained similar across treatment groups.Conclusion Post hoc analysis of the 3-year TORCH dataset showed that salmeterol alone or in combination (SFC) did not increase the risk of cardiovascular events in patients with moderate to severe COPD.}, issn = {0040-6376}, URL = {https://thorax.bmj.com/content/65/8/719}, eprint = {https://thorax.bmj.com/content/65/8/719.full.pdf}, journal = {Thorax} }