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Researchers develop potential cure for high BP
Posted on: 13/Feb/2017 9:54:59 AM
Researchers have combined four blood pressure drugs into a single pill could be twice as effective as existing treatments. The results of a small pilot trial have been published in the Lancet medical journal.
These results could offer a new approach for the hundreds of thousands in the UK who take daily tablets for their blood pressure. In a breakthrough trial, every patient given the four-in-one `quadpill` saw their blood pressure drop to healthy levels within a month. And because each drug is included in much lower doses than in conventional tablets, experts believe the combined medication will minimise side-effects.
Speaking about the development, the researchers from the George Institute at Sydney University said, Only 18 patients took part in the trial. Further research is needed to see if the results can be repeated, but these initial findings are very exciting. Most people receive one medicine at a normal dose but that only controls blood pressure about half the time. In this small trial blood pressure control was achieved for everyone. Trials will now test whether this can be repeated and maintained long-term. We believe reducing the dose of each drug minimises the risk of side-effects, which can include swollen ankles and kidney abnormalities. Even though the dose of each drug was lower, combining them increased their impact. Minimising 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, but this is the area where more long-term research is most needed.
According to experts, This could be an incredibly important step in helping to reduce the burden of disease globally. High blood pressure is a major risk factor for strokes and heart attacks. Although the findings are encouraging and may lead to effective treatments without side effects... more research is needed to confirm the safety of the quadpill, its long-term effect on blood pressure and ultimately whether it reduces a person`s risk of having a stroke or heart attack, before it should be considered in clinic. Since the majority of people with high blood pressure have no symptoms, a big part of the battle is identifying who has it. If you are concerned, we recommend speaking to your GP.
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