Diverticulosis is a condition where small pouches or bulges develop in the walls of the intestine. It is more common in older adults and, in some cases, can lead to serious complications.
At the same time, high blood pressure is a major global health concern, affecting one in ten adults. It increases the risk of heart attacks and strokes, making it essential to manage the condition through lifestyle changes and medication.
A recent study from Imperial College London has raised questions about whether some commonly used blood pressure drugs might have unexpected side effects on the digestive system.
Investigating Blood Pressure Medications
Millions of people take medications to control high blood pressure, but their long-term effects on other parts of the body are not fully understood. The research team, led by Dr. Dipender Gill, focused on three widely used drug types:
- ACE inhibitors
- Beta-blockers
- Calcium channel blockers
Instead of directly studying patients on these medications, the scientists used genetic analysis to investigate how these drugs affect the body. They identified the proteins targeted by these medications and then searched through genetic data from 750,000 people to find variations in genes that control these proteins.
A Surprising Link to Bowel Conditions
The researchers examined whether these genetic variations were linked to a higher or lower risk of nearly 900 diseases. The data came from the UK Biobank study, which tracks health information from hundreds of thousands of people.
One surprising finding was that a specific type of calcium channel blocker, called the non-dihydropyridine class, was linked to an increased risk of diverticulosis.
Scientists believe this connection may be due to how the medication affects intestinal muscles, which help push food through the digestive system. If these muscles are weakened or disrupted, it could lead to issues like diverticulosis.
What This Means for Patients
While this finding is important, the researchers emphasize that it should not change how blood pressure medications are prescribed. Patients should not stop taking their medication without first talking to their doctor.
Managing high blood pressure remains crucial for preventing heart disease and stroke, so the benefits of these drugs still outweigh the risks. However, this study highlights the need for further research to better understand how these medications affect the body over time.
What’s Next?
This research is a step forward in understanding how common medications may have unexpected effects on other parts of the body. Future studies will explore ways to reduce the potential risks while ensuring that high blood pressure treatments remain safe and effective.
The study was conducted by Dr. Dipender Gill and his team and was published in the journal Circulation.
If you care about blood pressure, please read studies about unhealthy habits that could increase high blood pressure risk, and eating eggs in a healthy diet may reduce risks of diabetes, high blood pressure.
For more information about blood pressure, please see recent studies that early time-restricted eating could help improve blood pressure, and results showing 12 foods that lower blood pressure.
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