High blood pressure combination pill 'better than one' (BBC)

[eppur_se_muova]

By Helen Briggs
Health reporter, BBC News

A combination of drugs is better than a single one in treating high blood pressure, a UK study has suggested.

The study in the Lancet involved 1,200 people and found starting treatment with two drugs gave better and faster results, with fewer side effects.

The approach challenges conventional medical practice where doctors give a patient one drug, then add another later if blood pressure stays high.

Almost 10 million people in the UK have high blood pressure.

Treatment with anti-hypertensive drugs is known to reduce the risk of stroke and heart disease.
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more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-12170196

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1. I'm taking 3 different ones right now!

[Cleita]

2. Well, I'm seventy and found not smoking, not

drinking coffee and liquor only occasionally, along with diet and exercise keeps mine down without pills. I find that the pills are too erratic sometimes bringing me down too low when I can't afford to get close to fainting like when I'm out driving, shopping or working. I do have a BP monitor and take my BP every day. Also, the inconvenience of having to stay close to a bathroom is the other reason. I find the pills wicked. Also my experience with my husband taught me that out of control BP might be pointing to something more serious going on that needs to be looked into and not covered up with medication.

[silverweb]

3. An interesting combination.

I wonder how this impacts the view that a beta blocker and an ACE inhibitor are favored for cardiac protection.