Managing high blood pressure is an important part of staying healthy, especially for older adults. Doctors often prescribe medications to lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of serious problems such as heart attacks and strokes.
However, as people age, many begin to take several medications at the same time, which can increase the risk of side effects and make daily life more complicated.
Because of this, there is growing interest in a medical approach called “deprescribing.” This means carefully reducing or stopping medications that may no longer be necessary or helpful. A new study has now explored whether stopping blood pressure medications in some older adults could be done safely.
The research was published in the journal JAMA Network Open and was led by Dr. Michelle C. Odden from Stanford University.
The study focused on more than 13,000 older adults in the United States who were living in long-term care facilities between 2006 and 2019. All of the participants were over the age of 65 and were taking at least one medication to control high blood pressure.
The researchers divided the participants into two groups over a 12-week period. One group continued taking their blood pressure medications as usual. In the other group, some or all of the medications were reduced or stopped. About 18 percent of the participants had their medications deprescribed.
After this initial period, the researchers followed the participants for up to two years. They wanted to see whether stopping or reducing the medications would increase the risk of serious heart problems, such as heart attacks or strokes, that required hospital care.
The results showed that 11.2 percent of people in the deprescribed group were hospitalized for these conditions, compared to 8.8 percent in the group that continued their medications.
While this difference may seem noticeable, it was not considered statistically significant after the researchers adjusted for differences in health, age, and other personal factors between the groups.
In simple terms, this means that stopping blood pressure medications did not clearly increase the risk of major heart events in this group of older adults. This finding may provide some reassurance for doctors, patients, and families who are considering whether to reduce medications in people with complex health needs.
However, the researchers were careful to point out that this was an observational study. This type of study looks at patterns in real-world data but cannot prove that one action directly causes a certain outcome.
Even though the researchers adjusted for many factors, there may still be other unknown differences between the groups that could have influenced the results.
Because of this, the authors say that more research is needed, especially randomized clinical trials, which are better designed to test cause and effect. These future studies could help provide clearer guidance on when it is safe to stop blood pressure medications.
Despite these limitations, the study adds valuable information to the discussion about how best to care for older adults. Many residents in long-term care facilities take multiple medications every day.
Reducing the number of medications, when appropriate, may help improve quality of life. It may also lower the risk of side effects such as dizziness, falls, and harmful interactions between drugs.
The most important message is that deprescribing should be done carefully and thoughtfully. It should not happen automatically or without proper guidance.
Decisions about stopping or reducing medications should involve open discussions between healthcare providers, patients, and their families. Each person’s situation is different, and treatment should be based on individual health goals, risks, and preferences.
This study also highlights the importance of regularly reviewing medications. Good healthcare is not only about starting treatments but also about reassessing whether they are still needed over time.
In addition to medications, lifestyle choices can also play a role in managing blood pressure. Some research suggests that simple changes, such as adjusting eating patterns or choosing healthier foods, may help support heart health.
For example, early time-restricted eating and certain natural food options have been studied for their potential benefits in lowering blood pressure.
As scientists continue to study both medications and lifestyle approaches, the goal is to find safer and more effective ways to manage blood pressure, especially for older adults with complex health needs. With careful planning and regular review, it may be possible to balance treatment benefits with quality of life.
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 health information, please see recent studies about added sugar in your diet linked to higher blood pressure, and results showing vitamin D could improve blood pressure in people with diabetes.
Copyright © 2026 Knowridge Science Report. All rights reserved.
