There’s a condition called diverticulosis that affects the gut. In this condition, small pouch-like bumps form in the lining of the intestine—a long, winding tube that helps us digest food. These pouches are usually harmless but can sometimes lead to pain, infection, or other problems, especially in older adults.
Now, think about high blood pressure, another common health issue. It affects around one in ten people worldwide and increases the chances of having a heart attack or stroke. To manage it, people often need to change their diet and exercise habits, and many also rely on medications.
Recently, a group of scientists from Imperial College London took a closer look at how these blood pressure medicines might affect the body in ways we didn’t expect. They focused on three types of medications that are commonly prescribed: ACE-inhibitors, beta-blockers, and calcium channel blockers.
These drugs have been used for years, and many people depend on them to keep their blood pressure under control. But scientists wanted to see if there was more to the story—especially how these medicines might affect the gut.
To do this, the researchers used a technique called genetic analysis. This means they studied the DNA of people to learn more about how certain proteins in the body are linked to disease.
First, they figured out which proteins the blood pressure drugs target to help lower blood pressure. Then, they looked at the genetic information of about 750,000 people to see how those proteins might affect other parts of the body, like the gut.
Their findings were unexpected. They discovered that one specific type of calcium channel blocker—a drug that helps relax blood vessels—might be linked to a higher risk of developing gut problems like diverticulosis.
They believe this could be because calcium channel blockers may also relax the muscles in the gut, which normally help move food along. When those muscles don’t work as well, it could lead to the formation of the small pouches seen in diverticulosis.
But before anyone gets worried, the scientists are careful to point out that people taking blood pressure medicine should not stop using it. Dr. Dipender Gill, who led the study, says that this finding doesn’t mean doctors should change how they prescribe these drugs. The benefits of these medicines for controlling blood pressure and preventing heart problems are still very clear.
This study, which was published in a respected journal called Circulation, is part of a growing effort to understand how common medications might affect the body in ways we didn’t fully realize before. It doesn’t mean calcium channel blockers are unsafe.
Instead, it opens the door to better understanding how different people might respond to these drugs, and how doctors can adjust treatments in the future if needed.
For now, the advice is simple: keep taking your medicine unless your doctor tells you otherwise. High blood pressure is a serious condition, and the best way to stay healthy is to follow your treatment plan while staying informed about new research like this.
In time, findings like these may help scientists create even better, more personalized ways to treat high blood pressure—without causing problems elsewhere in the body.
If you care about high blood pressure, please read studies that early time-restricted eating could help improve blood pressure, and coconut sugar could help reduce blood pressure and artery stiffness.
For more information about blood pressure, please see recent studies about added sugar in your diet linked to higher blood pressure, and results showing plant-based foods could benefit people with high blood pressure.
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