Diverticulosis is a condition that causes small pouches or bulges to form in the lining of the intestines.
It happens more often as people get older, and while it is usually not harmful, it can lead to serious health problems in some cases. Sometimes, diverticulosis can even become an emergency situation that needs immediate medical attention.
Another health problem that many people face is high blood pressure, which affects around 10% of adults around the world. High blood pressure can cause major health issues, like heart attacks and strokes. Because of these risks, managing high blood pressure is important for keeping the heart and other organs healthy.
Doctors often recommend lifestyle changes to help manage high blood pressure, and they may also prescribe medications. The most common types of medicines used for this purpose are ACE inhibitors, beta-blockers, and calcium channel blockers.
A recent study by researchers at Imperial College London took a closer look at how these widely used blood pressure medications affect the body.
Even though millions of people take these medications daily, researchers are still unsure of their long-term effects. The goal of the study was to better understand whether these drugs might have unexpected side effects.
The research was led by Dr. Dipender Gill, who used a method called genetic analysis to study how small differences in people’s genes could affect how medications work. This method helps researchers understand how different versions of genes can impact the body’s response to medications.
The researchers first identified the proteins in the body that the blood pressure medications target. These proteins are responsible for helping to lower blood pressure. Then, the team analyzed genetic data from 750,000 people to find gene versions that influence how these proteins work.
Using this genetic data, the researchers tested whether people with these gene versions had a higher or lower risk of developing certain health conditions. They looked at data from the UK Biobank, a large health research database, to examine 900 different diseases.
What they discovered was unexpected: a certain type of calcium channel blocker, called non-dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers, seemed to be linked to a higher risk of developing diverticulosis.
The researchers believe this may be because these medications affect the muscles in the intestines. These muscles play an important role in helping food move along the digestive tract. If the medication interferes with how these muscles work, it could cause changes in bowel movements and possibly lead to the development of pouches in the intestine wall.
It is important to note that this study does not prove that these medications directly cause diverticulosis. Instead, it suggests a possible link that should be explored further in future research. This finding could help doctors understand how medications like these affect the body and help minimize side effects.
Despite these findings, the researchers warn against stopping prescribed medications without consulting a doctor. High blood pressure must be managed to avoid dangerous complications, and for most people, the benefits of these medications outweigh the potential risks. If you are concerned about your medication, always talk to your doctor first.
The study, which was published in the journal Circulation, is a key step in understanding how medications for common conditions like high blood pressure can have unintended effects on other parts of the body. In the future, this type of research could help doctors personalize treatments, minimizing side effects while still effectively managing health conditions.
If you care about blood pressure, please read studies about blood pressure drug that may increase risk of sudden cardiac arrest, and these teas could help reduce high blood pressure.
For more health information, please see recent studies about nutrient that could strongly lower high blood pressure, and results showing this novel antioxidant may help reverse blood vessels aging by 20 years.
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