A recent study from Penn State and other research institutions suggests that some of the most commonly used drugs for high blood pressure, known as L-type calcium channel blockers (LCCBs), may do more harm than good for the heart. These drugs, widely prescribed to lower blood pressure, may actually increase the risk of heart failure.
High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a serious health issue affecting nearly half of all adults in the United States—more than 100 million people. Around the world, the number of people with hypertension is expected to reach 1.56 billion by 2025. If left untreated, high blood pressure can lead to heart disease, stroke, and other serious complications.
To control blood pressure, many doctors prescribe L-type calcium channel blockers. These drugs work by relaxing the muscles in the walls of blood vessels, allowing them to widen and reducing pressure.
However, researchers have now found that these drugs may also trigger harmful changes in blood vessels, making the heart work harder and increasing the risk of heart failure.
The heart pumps blood through arteries, which are lined with special muscle cells called vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). These cells help control blood flow by tightening or relaxing the blood vessel walls. Calcium plays a key role in this process, helping the cells contract and relax as needed.
When someone has high blood pressure, too much calcium can enter these cells, leading to changes that cause the blood vessels to become thicker and stiffer. This process, called “remodeling,” makes it even harder for blood to flow, raising blood pressure even more.
L-type calcium channel blockers were designed to stop this process by blocking calcium from entering the cells. But in this study, scientists found that while these drugs prevent some harmful effects of calcium, they also cause remodeling in another way.
This means that instead of protecting the blood vessels, LCCBs might be contributing to the same damage they are meant to prevent.
To understand how this happens, researchers used different tools to study smooth muscle cells in the lab and in rats. They also looked at medical records from patients at Penn State. Their analysis showed that people with high blood pressure who were treated with LCCBs were more likely to develop heart failure compared to those who used other blood pressure medications.
The findings suggest that doctors should be cautious when prescribing these drugs, especially for older adults or those with severe high blood pressure. The researchers also noted that patients with high blood pressure who get COVID-19 should be monitored carefully if they are taking LCCBs, as these drugs may worsen blood vessel damage.
High blood pressure is a serious condition, but researchers continue to explore different ways to manage it. Some studies suggest that fasting may help lower blood pressure naturally, while others warn that marijuana use may increase the risk of death for people with high blood pressure.
Additionally, research has found that drinking cherry juice can lower blood pressure as effectively as medication. When measuring blood pressure, using the right cuff size is also important for accurate readings.
This study, published in the journal PNAS, was led by Mohamed Trebak and his colleagues. Their findings highlight the need for more research to determine the safest and most effective ways to treat high blood pressure without increasing other health risks.
If you care about high blood pressure, please read studies that early time-restricted eating could help improve blood pressure, and natural coconut sugar could help reduce blood pressure and artery stiffness.
For more health information, please see recent studies about added sugar in your diet linked to higher blood pressure, and results showing vitamin D could improve blood pressure in people with diabetes.
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