Results of meta-analysis show benefit of hypertension drugs regardless of blood pressure

Findings from a meta-analysis of 147 studies involving five classes of hypertension drugs showed that lowering blood pressure by a specified amount reduced the risk of heart attacks by about a quarter and the risk of stroke by a third.

 

The improvements were reported to have applied to everyone, regardless of their blood pressure reading before treatment, and researcher Malcolm

Law commented that the data "indicate the importance of lowering blood pressure in everyone over a certain age."
The analysis, published in the BMJ, included studies involving a total of 464 000 men and women aged 60 to 69 years and which focused on the use of beta-blockers, ACE inhibitors, angiotensin-receptor blockers, calcium-channel blockers and thiazides. Results showed that all five drug classes had "a

similar effect in reducing coronary heart disease events and stroke for a given reduction in blood pressure." 
Regarding the researchers' suggestions that hypertension drugs be used in everyone "beyond a certain age," Research Liaison Officer Joanne Murphy of the Stroke Association noted that "whilst blood pressure medication is one of the safest and most studied medications, they do have side effects and should only be prescribed to people who are at significant risk of stroke.

" Nonetheless, she said the study "is interesting as it suggests that taking this medication can help those who are [at] high risk of stroke but not necessarily suffering from high blood pressure." Law remarked that side effects from the treatments could be minimised by combining low doses of three hypertension drugs into a single tablet.