Diverticulosis is a common condition where small pouches form in the wall of the intestine. It happens more often in older adults and usually doesn’t cause any problems. But sometimes, it can lead to serious issues like infections or bleeding.
At the same time, high blood pressure is a major health problem around the world. It affects about one in ten adults and can raise the risk of heart attacks and strokes if not treated.
To manage high blood pressure, doctors often recommend lifestyle changes and medicines. These medications work well, but experts are still learning about all the ways they affect the body.
A new study by scientists at Imperial College London looked at how some blood pressure drugs might have unexpected effects. The researchers focused on three common types of medicine: ACE inhibitors, beta-blockers, and calcium channel blockers. They used genetic tools to study how these drugs might be linked to other health conditions.
To do this, the team looked at proteins that these medications target to lower blood pressure. Then, they analyzed genetic data from around 750,000 people to find out if changes in those genes were linked to other diseases. This allowed them to mimic the effects of the drugs and see if there were any patterns.
Their most surprising discovery involved a specific type of calcium channel blocker called non-dihydropyridines. These drugs help relax blood vessels and lower blood pressure. But the study found that they might also increase the risk of developing bowel problems like diverticulosis.
The reason could be that these drugs affect the muscles in the intestines, which help move food along. If the muscles don’t work properly, it could lead to changes in the intestines and cause issues like diverticulosis.
Even though this finding is interesting, doctors say it shouldn’t change how people take their medication. Dr. Dipender Gill, the lead researcher, warned that patients should never stop taking their blood pressure medicine without talking to their doctor first. Stopping treatment suddenly can be dangerous and lead to serious health problems.
This study, published in the journal Circulation, is an important step in understanding more about how blood pressure drugs work. It shows that while these medicines help the heart, they might also affect other parts of the body.
More research is needed to confirm these findings and to figure out how to lower the risk of side effects while keeping the drugs effective. In the meantime, the best thing patients can do is work closely with their doctor to make sure they’re getting the right treatment.
This research reminds us that every medicine has both benefits and risks. Understanding those risks helps doctors and patients make better choices for long-term health.
If you care about blood pressure, please read studies about unhealthy habits that could increase high blood pressure risk, and people with severe high blood pressure should reduce coffee intake.
For more information about blood pressure, please see recent studies that early time-restricted eating could help improve blood pressure, and results showing plant-based foods could benefit people with high blood pressure.
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