People who could benefit from blood pressure medication may be missing out on treatment

A new study examines how blood pressure medication could benefit people with varying levels of cardiovascular risk. Research from the University of Oxford suggests that even those with only slightly elevated heart disease risk could significantly benefit from treatment. The study, led by Professor Kazem Rahimi, found that for every 5mmHg reduction in systolic blood pressure, there's a 10% decrease in the risk of heart disease and stroke over four years.

This effect is consistent across individuals with varying levels of cardiovascular risk, ranging from just 3% to nearly 42%. However, the absolute risk reduction was more pronounced in those with higher risk levels. The researchers argue that selecting people for treatment based on their calculated cardiovascular risk, rather than solely their blood pressure levels, would make therapy more targeted and effective.

Currently, clinical guidelines in the UK focus on blood pressure values for patient selection, with risk assessment considered in a second stage. This study indicates that this approach may miss some patients who have high risk but only mildly elevated blood pressure. Blood pressure-lowering drugs are widely prescribed in the UK, with millions of people currently taking them.

However, there's a lack of strong evidence supporting their use in people at lower risk of heart attacks and strokes, leading to differing recommendations globally. The study analyzed data from 357,440 participants in 51 previous studies, categorizing them into ten groups based on their predicted risk of developing cardiovascular disease within five years.