Have researchers found the “magic bullet” for high blood pressure? Maybe. In a groundbreaking new study, patients given four hypertension drugs — combined into a single pill — experienced significant drops in blood pressure drop in just one month.
In the study, published in the Lancet, people with high-blood pressure readings of 154/90 millimeters of mercury saw their readings drop below 140/90 mm Hg — the threshold for high blood pressure, after just four weeks.
“Most people receive one medicine at a normal dose, but that only controls blood pressure about half the time,” says study author Clara Chow, George Institute for Global Health. “In this small trial, blood pressure control was achieved for everyone.”
Each of the four blood pressure drugs — irbesartan, amlodipine, hydrochlorothiazide and atenolol — were given in a quarter-dose in a single capsule. According to experts, the smaller dose may come with fewer side effects than a traditional single dosage.
“Minimizing side effects is important for long-term treatments — we didn’t see any issues in this trial, as you would hope with very low-dose therapy,” said Metin Avkiran, associate medical director at the British Heart Foundation.
“But this is the area where more long-term research is most needed. This could be an incredibly important step in helping to reduce the burden of disease globally.”
Even though the doses of each drug were reduced, their effectiveness was increased when combined.
The trial could pave the way for a new approach to high blood pressure treatment.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, high blood pressure affects one in three Americans. The condition can increase the risk of heart attack, stroke, and vascular dementia.
Of those taking medication to control their blood pressure, roughly 33 percent actually have their readings under control, according to a recent study in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Researchers at the George Institute at Sydney University say only 18 people participated in the new trial and more research is needed.
Researchers are currently underway on a much larger-scale trial to see whether the initial results can be maintained long term.
But Chow said the findings are very promising and could provide a new and better way to treat the condition than currently available medications.
“What makes these result every more exciting is that these four blood pressure medications are already in use,” Chow told Medical Xpress. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2017-02-potential-breakthrough-hypertension-ultra-low-dose.html#jCp
“We are increasingly finding there are opportunities to treat many commons diseases hiding in plain sight. This ultimately means we will be able to deliver life changing medications much more quickly, and more affordably.”