High blood pressure is a common health problem that affects millions of people around the world.
It’s often called the “silent killer” because it usually doesn’t cause symptoms, but it can lead to serious problems like heart attacks, strokes, and kidney disease.
That’s why many people take medicine to keep their blood pressure under control.
But a new study from Columbia University has raised an important question: Are people being given the best medicine to start with? The researchers looked at two types of common blood pressure drugs — ACE inhibitors and thiazide diuretics. They found that thiazide diuretics may be a better choice for many patients.
Thiazide diuretics help the body get rid of extra salt and water through the kidneys. This lowers blood pressure and makes it easier for the heart to do its job. These drugs have been used for many years and are known to work well.
ACE inhibitors work in a different way. They help relax blood vessels so blood can flow more easily. They are also widely used and helpful for many people, but they may come with more side effects.
In the study, researchers looked at the health records of about 5 million people who were starting blood pressure medication for the first time. Nearly half of them were prescribed ACE inhibitors, while only about 17% got thiazide diuretics. This was surprising, because the study showed that thiazide diuretics actually worked better.
People who took thiazide diuretics had fewer serious heart problems — about 15% fewer heart attacks, strokes, and heart failure — compared to those who took ACE inhibitors. Also, those who took ACE inhibitors were more likely to have side effects, including cough and kidney problems.
The researchers estimated that if all the patients in the study had been given thiazide diuretics instead of ACE inhibitors, around 3,100 serious heart events could have been avoided.
So why are ACE inhibitors still prescribed more often? The researchers believe it may be because of old habits and a lack of strong studies in the past. Doctors have many choices when it comes to blood pressure drugs, and until now, there hasn’t been a clear answer about which one is the best to start with.
This new study, led by George Hripcsak and published in the medical journal The Lancet, could help change that. It shows that thiazide diuretics are not only effective but also safer for many people.
If you are taking an ACE inhibitor for high blood pressure, you might want to talk to your doctor. Thiazide diuretics could be a better option for you, especially if you are having side effects.
This research could lead to changes in how doctors treat high blood pressure. By choosing the best medicine from the start, more people can avoid serious health problems and live healthier lives.
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