Up to half of adults should be offered blood pressure pills

Up to half the adult population should be offered cheap blood pressure pills to cut the risk of heart attacks and strokes, an Oxford University study has concluded.



Cardiologists called for an “urgent review” of NHS guidance, saying the widespread use of such drugs could save millions of lives.

Each 10mmHg drop in systolic pressure was found to reduce the risk of heart attack by one fifth, stroke by one quarter, and death from all causes by 13 per cent.

Researchers behind the Lancet study said pills should now be doled out to millions more middle-aged Britons, regardless of their current blood pressure levels.

GPs are currently advised to offer such drugs to those assessed as having high blood pressure.

Around one in four adults already meet such criteria, of whom around two thirds take medication.

But Oxford researchers said doctors should recommend the drugs to swathes of the population – regardless of their current blood pressure levels.

Instead, GPs should try to assess a patient’s overall risk of a heart attack – taking into account factors such as their age, cholesterol level, smoking habits and other health conditions such as diabetes, they said.

This could mean at least as many patients recommended for the drugs as the 17 million now eligible for statins, following controversial guidance last year, researchers suggested.

The new study analysed the findings of 123 large randomised trials involving more than 600,000 people.

Current guidance from the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (Nice) says treatment should be offered to those with blood pressure higher than 140/90 mmHg, or 150/90mmHg among those aged 80 and over.

But the study - which examined trials with a range of blood pressure targets - found that benefits were just as great among those whose levels were far lower to start off with – including those who started off with a systolic reading of less than 130.

Read more: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/health/ ... pills.html

A while ago a specialist said any one in their 50s should take asprin each day to prevent this now its blood pressure tablets, which makes you gain weight which doctors seem to be obsessed about.

We seem to be 'advised' to take far too many pills these days. - In many cases the only beneficiaries are the pharma companies.

We seem to be 'advised' to take far too many pills these days. - In many cases the only beneficiaries are the pharma companies.

I fully agree with you Rebbonk also Doctors benefit with a bonus offered by the pharmaceutical companies if they prescribe them .

I fully agree with you Rebbonk also Doctors benefit with a bonus offered by the pharmaceutical companies if they prescribe them .

Mrs Rebbonk's doctor admitted that when I asked him about statins, though he intimated that the bonus was paid via the government.

Interestingly, I was reading about the diabetes epidemic in India. It appears that over time the pharma companies have managed to erode the sugar levels where you are regarded as being diabetic. Hence they now decide who is diabetic rather than the medical profession.

That would not suprise me one bit Rebbonk with our government just as I was told by my OT doctors get paid £10.00 each patient that they can get to give up smoking.

I would nt trust any pharmacuticle company I would want to see what qualifications they have first .