High blood pressure is often called a “silent killer.”
This is because most people don’t feel sick when they have it, but it can still cause serious health problems like heart attacks and strokes.
For older adults, keeping blood pressure under control is one of the most important things they can do to stay healthy and live longer.
A group of researchers wanted to find out whether stronger blood pressure treatments could help prevent strokes in older people. They studied data from nine earlier studies, which included almost 39,000 people aged between 66 and 84. These studies followed the health of participants for about 2 to 6 years.
The results were very clear. The researchers found that giving older adults stronger treatment for high blood pressure could help prevent strokes. On average, it took only 1.7 years of this more intensive treatment to stop one stroke in a group of 200 people.
This means that in less than two years, many people could avoid having a stroke just by lowering their blood pressure more effectively.
The benefits were different depending on how high a person’s blood pressure was when they started. For people whose top blood pressure number (called systolic pressure) was lower than 150, it took a little longer to see benefits. But for people with very high blood pressure—especially those starting above 190—the good results happened faster.
This kind of information is very helpful for both doctors and patients. Right now, the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association recommend that doctors talk with older patients about the possible risks and benefits of stronger blood pressure treatments.
But in the past, we didn’t have clear answers about how quickly those treatments would actually help. This study fills in that missing piece.
Vanessa S. Ho, the lead author from California Northstate University College of Medicine, explained why this is so important. Many older people may not want to take new medications if they don’t know how long it will take to feel the benefits.
But if they learn that treatment could help prevent a stroke in less than two years, they may be more willing to take action.
This research brings hope and clarity. It shows that treating high blood pressure more aggressively in older adults could prevent strokes and possibly save lives. It also helps doctors give better advice to their patients about when and how to start stronger treatment.
Other studies have shown that eating healthy foods and doing regular exercise can also lower blood pressure and improve heart health. Some diabetes medications have even been found to help with heart failure. On the other hand, some food ingredients may raise the risk of heart problems, so being informed is key.
This study, published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, gives us a better understanding of how to protect older adults from strokes and improve their quality of life.
If you care about blood pressure, please read studies about the arm squeeze test: could your blood pressure reading be wrong and bedtime medication more effective for high blood pressure.
For more about blood pressure, please read studies about Scientists find link between high blood pressure drugs and this skin disease and common high blood pressure medication may not be the best choice.
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