A large study from Columbia University has found that many doctors may be using the wrong starting drug to treat high blood pressure.
The study suggests that thiazide diuretics, an older and less-used type of medicine, may actually work better and cause fewer side effects than ACE inhibitors, which are currently more popular.
High blood pressure, also called hypertension, is a serious health problem. It can lead to heart attacks, strokes, and other dangerous conditions. There are different kinds of medicat…
To find out which medicine works best, researchers looked at health records from about 5 million people who had just begun taking medicine for high blood pressure. They compared the results of people who started with different drugs.
They discovered that nearly half of the patients (48%) started with ACE inhibitors, even though these drugs were linked to more problems. Only 17% started with thiazide diuretics, which turned out to be safer and more effective.
The study showed that patients who started with thiazide diuretics had 15% fewer serious heart problems—such as heart attacks, strokes, and heart failure—compared to those who started with ACE inhibitors. These patients also had fewer side effects overall.
In fact, ACE inhibitors were linked to 19 more types of side effects than thiazide diuretics. These included kidney issues and a constant cough, which many patients found uncomfortable.
The researchers estimated that if all the people in the study had started with thiazide diuretics instead of ACE inhibitors, about 3,100 major heart-related health problems could have been avoided.
Thiazide diuretics have been around for a long time. They work by helping the body remove extra salt and water, which helps lower blood pressure. ACE inhibitors lower blood pressure by relaxing the blood vessels and making it easier for the heart to pump.
Even though both drugs can help, the new study suggests thiazide diuretics may be the better first choice for many people starting blood pressure treatment.
So why are ACE inhibitors still more commonly used? It may be because doctors are used to prescribing them, not because they’re the best choice based on new research. The study’s lead author, George Hripcsak, hopes this research will encourage doctors to reconsider how they treat high blood pressure.
The study was published in the medical journal The Lancet and may lead to changes in how doctors choose treatments. If more patients begin with thiazide diuretics, it could mean fewer heart problems and fewer side effects for millions of people.
This research shows the importance of using up-to-date and reliable studies when making treatment decisions. It could help patients stay healthier and avoid unnecessary problems.
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 information about blood pressure, please see recent studies about How to eat your way to healthy blood pressure and results showing that Modified traditional Chinese cuisine can lower blood pressure.
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