British Hypertension Society explains new guidelines

The British Hypertension Society (BHS) has explained its decision to downgrade the importance of beta-blockers as a first-line treatment for high blood pressure in many patients.

After a consultation with NICE, new guidelines were published yesterday for the treatment of hypertension. They now include more emphasis on the suitability of certain blood pressure drugs for people of different ethnic origins, as well as on the suitability of beta blockers for controlling blood pressure in the face of newer drugs.

The society’s president, Professor Neil Poulter, told BBC One’s Six O’Clock News that beta-blockers would still be used, but less commonly as a first-line treatment.

He said: “The idea is to replace the beta-blockers with these newer agents and the plan recommends starting with different drugs and beta-blockers have just dropped down the pecking order to fourth line rather than first line agents.”

The latest advice states that hypertensive patients aged over 55 and black patients of any age should be prescribed calcium channel blockers or thiazide-type diuretics. ACE inhibitors should be used for patients under 55 years-old.

Earlier, Professor Poulter told BBC Radio Four that patients currently prescribed beta-blockers should not change their medication, since there was “no urgency” to do so.

He said: “The beta-blockers are excellent drugs. They’ve been the mainstay of therapy for angina, coronary disease and high blood pressure for a long time, so they should stay on these tablets.”

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