Researchers from UC San Francisco and other institutions have an important message for people aged 65 and older: be careful about taking stronger blood pressure medication right after leaving the hospital.
A new study shows that this common practice might do more harm than good.
The research followed over 4,000 older adults who were hospitalized for reasons not related to heart problems. The researchers wanted to see what would happen to those whose blood pressure medication was increased before they left the hospital.
Surprisingly, they found that these patients did not have better heart health one year later. In fact, they were morelikely to be readmitted to the hospital within 30 days—mostly for issues like dizziness, fainting, falls, or kidney trouble.
Why does this matter? High blood pressure is very common in older adults, and it’s often treated with medication to prevent serious problems like heart attacks or strokes.
But when someone is in the hospital, their blood pressure might rise temporarily due to stress, pain, or illness. Doctors sometimes react by increasing their medication, thinking it’s best to lower the numbers right away.
However, as lead researcher Dr. Timothy Anderson explains, the hospital is not the ideal place to make big changes to long-term blood pressure treatment.
People in the hospital are usually sick or under stress, and their bodies might not respond to medication in the same way they do when they’re well. Making sudden changes at that moment may not be helpful—and could be harmful.
Another researcher on the study, Dr. Michael Steinman, added that a better approach is to look at what medications the patient was already taking before being hospitalized. Then, any changes to treatment should be discussed with the person’s regular doctor, who knows their full health history.
So, what should you do if you or a loved one is in this situation? If you’re 65 or older and in the hospital for something unrelated to your heart, think twice before agreeing to stronger blood pressure meds at discharge. Ask whether the change is really necessary and talk to your family doctor before making any long-term adjustments.
Managing blood pressure is important, but medication is only part of the picture. Healthy lifestyle choices—like eating well, staying active, managing stress, and avoiding smoking—also play a big role. Some studies have even shown that certain vitamins and dietary patterns can help with blood pressure control.
This new study, published in JAMA Internal Medicine, gives doctors and patients more information to make smart choices. It’s a reminder that one-size-fits-all treatment doesn’t always work, especially for older adults. Instead of reacting to short-term changes in the hospital, it’s better to focus on long-term health and work with doctors who know you best.
Researchers now plan to study how diabetes medications are affected by hospital stays. They want to find out if similar risks apply when making changes to other types of treatment during a hospital visit.
The bottom line: if you’re an older adult, a hospital stay might not be the best time to adjust your blood pressure medication. Make sure to follow up with your regular doctor and take a long-term approach to managing your health.
If you care about blood pressure, please read studies that black licorice could cause dangerous high blood pressure, and this common plant nutrient could help reduce high blood pressure.
For more information about blood pressure, please see recent studies about how coffee influence your risk of high blood pressure, and results showing this olive oil could reduce blood pressure in healthy people.
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