High blood pressure is one of the most common health problems in the world. It affects about one in every ten adults and often develops without causing clear symptoms. This is why it is sometimes called a “silent” condition.
If it is not treated, high blood pressure can damage blood vessels and increase the risk of heart attack, stroke, heart failure, kidney disease, and other serious health problems. Doctors usually recommend healthy eating, regular exercise, maintaining a healthy weight, reducing salt intake, avoiding smoking, and taking medicine when lifestyle changes alone are not enough.
Several types of medicines are available to lower blood pressure. Three of the most widely used groups are ACE inhibitors, beta-blockers, and calcium channel blockers. Millions of people around the world take these medicines every day.
They have saved many lives by lowering the risk of heart disease and stroke. Even so, scientists continue to study these drugs because they may have effects on other parts of the body that are not yet fully understood.
Researchers at Imperial College London wanted to learn more about how these blood pressure medicines affect the body beyond controlling blood pressure.
Instead of carrying out a traditional drug trial, they used a large genetic study. Genetic analysis looks at DNA and other biological information to better understand how certain proteins work and how medicines that target those proteins may influence health.
The scientists first identified the proteins that each type of blood pressure medicine acts on. They then examined genetic information from around 750,000 people. This large amount of data allowed them to look for links between these proteins and many different diseases and health conditions.
The research also used information from the UK Biobank, one of the world’s largest long-term health research projects. The UK Biobank contains health, lifestyle, and genetic information from hundreds of thousands of volunteers. Because of its size, it helps researchers discover patterns that may not be visible in smaller studies.
One finding caught the researchers by surprise. They found that one type of calcium channel blocker was linked with a higher risk of diverticulosis. Diverticulosis is a common condition in which small pouches form in the wall of the large intestine.
The condition becomes more common as people get older. Many people never know they have it because it often causes no symptoms. However, some people may develop pain, bleeding, or an infection called diverticulitis if the pouches become inflamed.
The researchers believe the possible link may be related to the way calcium channel blockers affect the muscles in the digestive system. These medicines relax muscles in blood vessel walls to lower blood pressure.
They may also reduce the movement of muscles in the gut. If food moves through the intestines more slowly, pressure inside the bowel may increase over time, which could make it easier for small pouches to form.
Although the discovery is important, the researchers stressed that people should not stop taking their prescribed blood pressure medicine because of these findings. The study only found a possible association. It does not prove that the medicine directly causes diverticulosis. For most people, the benefits of controlling high blood pressure are much greater than this possible risk.
The scientists also said that their findings are not a reason for doctors to change the way they prescribe blood pressure medicines.
Instead, the results provide new clues that may help researchers better understand the effects of these drugs and improve treatments in the future. Anyone who is worried about their medicine should speak with their doctor before making any changes.
The study was led by Dr. Dipender Gill and was published in the journal Circulation. The findings show how modern genetic research can uncover new information about medicines that have been used safely for many years.
Future studies may help doctors find better ways to protect both heart health and digestive health while giving patients the most effective treatment possible.
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.
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