A new study from the University of Bologna has found that women who take beta-blockers for high blood pressure may be at a higher risk of developing heart failure compared to men, especially during serious heart events.
The study was published in the journal Hypertension and offers important insights into how treatments may affect men and women differently.
Beta-blockers are drugs commonly used to treat high blood pressure, also known as hypertension. This condition is a major cause of heart disease and stroke around the world.
These medications help slow the heart rate and lower blood pressure, reducing the heart’s workload. But this new research shows that these drugs may not be equally safe for everyone.
The researchers looked at data from over 13,000 adults in 12 countries across Europe. Everyone in the study had high blood pressure but had never been diagnosed with heart disease. The group was split into men and women, and into those who were taking beta-blockers and those who were not.
What the study found was striking. Women taking beta-blockers were more likely to develop heart failure after suffering from acute coronary syndrome—a condition where blood flow to the heart is suddenly blocked or reduced. Specifically, women had a 4.6% higher risk of heart failure than men in this situation.
The risk was even greater for women who had a serious type of heart attack called STEMI, short for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. Women with STEMI who were on beta-blockers were 6.1% more likely to develop heart failure than men with the same condition.
Interestingly, when beta-blockers were not used, men and women had almost the same risk of heart failure. This suggests that the beta-blockers themselves may be linked to the increased risk in women.
Heart failure is a serious and life-threatening condition. The study showed that people who developed heart failure after a heart attack were about seven times more likely to die than those who had a heart attack but no heart failure.
Researchers aren’t yet sure why beta-blockers seem to affect women differently. One idea is that hormone replacement therapy (HRT), which some women take after menopause, could interact with beta-blockers and make them less safe. However, this part wasn’t directly studied and needs more research.
Another possible reason is that women and men process medications differently. The way drugs are absorbed, broken down, and used in the body can vary between genders, which might affect how well treatments work.
This research shows how important it is to treat each person as an individual, especially when it comes to managing high blood pressure. Women may want to talk to their doctors about whether beta-blockers are the best option for them, especially if they haven’t had any heart disease before.
For some women, lifestyle changes like eating healthy, staying active, managing stress, and getting regular check-ups may be a better way to control blood pressure without the risks linked to certain medications.
As science learns more about how gender affects health, it’s becoming clearer that treatments should be more personalized. This could help prevent serious problems and lead to better care for everyone.
If you care about high blood pressure, please read studies about unhealthy habits that may increase high blood pressure risk, and drinking green tea could help lower blood pressure.
For more information about high blood pressure, please see recent studies about what to eat or to avoid for high blood pressure, and 12 foods that lower blood pressure.
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