Beta Blockers for Blood Pressure
The role of Beta Blockers in blood pressure treatment
The newest set of UK guidelines for blood pressure (shortly to be mirrored world wide I'm sure) say that beta blocker medications should no longer be used as first choice or first line treatment for high blood pressure.
This is not the same as saying that they should not be used at all - many blood pressure patients gain benefit from them and will continue to do so.
Beta-blockers have been downgraded to less suitable for initial therapy because the evidence shows that they are less effective than alternatives in preventing major events, especially stroke.
Some media coverage has said that beta blockers increase the risk of stroke. This is not true - they are just not as good as some other medication at reducing the risk.
Beta blockers are also associated with an increase in the risk of developing diabetes.
Some research is still needed to work out whether this new information applies to all beta blocker drugs (there are about twenty) or if it only applies to the specific drug called Atenolol -for which there is most evidence.
Watch this space for more information but - for goodness sake - don't make any changes to your own medication without first consulting with your doctor.
The newest set of UK guidelines for blood pressure (shortly to be mirrored world wide I'm sure) say that beta blocker medications should no longer be used as first choice or first line treatment for high blood pressure.
This is not the same as saying that they should not be used at all - many blood pressure patients gain benefit from them and will continue to do so.
Beta-blockers have been downgraded to less suitable for initial therapy because the evidence shows that they are less effective than alternatives in preventing major events, especially stroke.
Some media coverage has said that beta blockers increase the risk of stroke. This is not true - they are just not as good as some other medication at reducing the risk.
Beta blockers are also associated with an increase in the risk of developing diabetes.
Some research is still needed to work out whether this new information applies to all beta blocker drugs (there are about twenty) or if it only applies to the specific drug called Atenolol -for which there is most evidence.
Watch this space for more information but - for goodness sake - don't make any changes to your own medication without first consulting with your doctor.
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