High blood pressure is a common health issue, but choosing the right medication for treatment can be challenging. Doctors have five main types of medicines to choose from, but there isn’t enough research to say which one should be used first. As a result, many doctors rely on experience rather than solid scientific evidence when prescribing the first treatment.
Surprising Findings from a Large Study
A research team from Columbia University decided to take a closer look at this issue. They wanted to find out if the most commonly used blood pressure medication, called ACE inhibitors, was really the best option. They also compared it with a less commonly used medicine called thiazide diuretics.
The researchers analyzed health records from nearly 5 million patients who had just started taking medication for high blood pressure. Their findings were surprising:
- Doctors prescribed ACE inhibitors to nearly half of the patients as their first treatment.
- Only 17% of patients were given thiazide diuretics as their first medication.
- Patients who took thiazide diuretics had better outcomes—they experienced 15% fewer serious heart problems, including heart attacks and strokes, compared to those who started with ACE inhibitors.
- They also had fewer side effects than patients who took ACE inhibitors.
The researchers estimated that if all the patients who had been prescribed ACE inhibitors had taken thiazide diuretics instead, around 3,100 serious heart problems could have been prevented.
What This Means for Patients and Doctors
This study challenges the common practice of using ACE inhibitors as the first-choice treatment for high blood pressure. The results suggest that thiazide diuretics might be a better option, as they appear to be both more effective and safer.
Of course, not all patients are the same. Different people respond to medications in different ways, and some may still benefit from ACE inhibitors. However, this study provides valuable new information that doctors can consider when deciding on the best treatment for each patient.
The Need for Further Research
These findings, published in The Lancet, suggest that doctors should rethink the standard approach to treating high blood pressure. However, more research is needed to confirm the results and understand why thiazide diuretics seem to work better.
This study is a reminder that even for common health problems like high blood pressure, there is always more to learn. And sometimes, what we discover may challenge long-standing medical practices.
If you care about high blood pressure, please read studies that early time-restricted eating could help improve blood pressure, and coconut sugar could help reduce blood pressure and artery stiffness.
For more information about blood pressure, please see recent studies about added sugar in your diet linked to higher blood pressure, and results showing plant-based foods could benefit people with high blood pressure.
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