High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a serious health problem in the United States.
It raises the risk of heart disease and stroke, which are two of the top causes of death. Millions of adults have high blood pressure, and many find it hard to keep it under control.
Often, treatment means taking several medications every day, especially for older people.
But taking too many medicines can sometimes cause side effects or problems, especially in people over 80 years old.
A recent study from the University of Oxford looked at whether some older adults could safely take fewer blood pressure medicines while still keeping their blood pressure at a safe level. The goal was to reduce the number of pills while avoiding serious health problems.
The study focused on people aged 80 and older who were already taking medicine for high blood pressure. Most of them were taking two different blood pressure drugs. Researchers studied 569 patients and split them into two groups.
One group continued with their usual treatment. The other group had one of their blood pressure medicines removed.
After 12 weeks, both groups had similar results. About 87% of people in each group kept their systolic blood pressure below 150 mm Hg. This level is generally safe for older adults. Even those who had their medication reduced still managed to keep their blood pressure under control.
The group that took fewer medicines had a slightly higher blood pressure—just 3.4 mm Hg more than those who stayed on all their drugs. This small difference didn’t seem to be harmful.
Also, serious side effects were rare. Only 12 people in the reduced-medication group and 7 in the usual-care group had serious health issues during the study. This shows that for many older adults, taking fewer medicines may be safe over the short term.
In fact, about two out of every three patients in the reduced-medication group were able to keep their blood pressure under control with fewer drugs.
This study, led by Dr. James P. Sheppard and published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, gives doctors and older patients something new to think about.
It suggests that cutting back on blood pressure medicine might be a good option for some people—especially those whose blood pressure has been stable.
Still, this idea isn’t right for everyone. Any change in medication should always be done with a doctor’s help. It’s important to monitor blood pressure closely to make sure it stays at a safe level.
For some older adults, taking fewer pills might mean fewer side effects and a better quality of life—without losing the benefits of blood pressure control.
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