Prescription drugs are generally seen as targeted treatments for specific diseases by addressing underlying mechanisms, such as statins lowering cholesterol to reduce cardiovascular risk or antibiotics killing bacteria. However, many medications can have multiple effects beyond their intended use. A recent preprint from biotech start-up EPITERNA studied over 40 years of prescription data from 500,000 UK Biobank patients to investigate how common drugs impact lifespan. While some medications negatively affect longevity due to side effects or drug resistance, others seem to promote longer lifespans. In this episode, Matt reviews the study’s top-performing drugs for longevity and explores how these findings could reshape our understanding of prescription medications.

Key Points:

Prescription drugs are typically used to treat specific conditions, but many have effects beyond their intended use. A recent EPITERNA study examined decades of prescription data, finding that while some medications reduce lifespan, others may positively impact longevity; Matt explores these insights in this episode.

• Exploring Prescription Drugs and Longevity: The podcast dives into a study that examined over 40 years of data from 500,000 UK patients, analysing the impact of commonly prescribed drugs on mortality risk​.
• Unexpected Longevity Benefits: While most drugs are associated with increased mortality due to the diseases they treat, a surprising 14 drugs were linked to lower mortality, suggesting potential benefits for lifespan​.
• Estrogens and Reduced Mortality: Several forms of estrogen, used in hormone replacement therapy for menopausal women, were among the top performers, showing a clear pattern of reduced mortality​.
• Statins and Low-Dose Benefits: Statins, particularly atorvastatin, were associated with reduced mortality at lower doses, though higher doses did not show the same benefits​.
• SGLT2 Inhibitors and Promising Results: A class of diabetes drugs, SGLT2 inhibitors, showed positive effects on mortality, aligning with other studies suggesting their potential to delay ageing-related diseases​.
• Caution and Further Study: The podcast emphasizes that these findings are correlative and more research is needed to confirm whether these drugs directly impact biological ageing​.