Blood pressure drugs ‘reduce mortality’

An international trial testing blood pressure drugs on elderly patients has stopped early after the results showed a significant reduction in both stroke and overall mortality.

All the patients involved in the trial will now be offered the option of switching to the blood pressure-lowering drug.

Over 3,800 patients took part in the Hypertension in the Very Elderly Trial (HYVET), the largest-ever clinical trial to study the effects of lowering blood pressure in those solely over the age of 80.

The patients, all with high blood pressure and from a number of countries, were given either a placebo or a low dose diuretic (indapamide 1.5mg SR), and an additional ACE inhibitor (perindopril), in tablet form once a day.

Preliminary results suggested that lowering blood pressure significantly reduces both stroke and mortality.

Commenting on the study’s findings, Emeritus Professor Chris Bulpitt, HYVET principal investigator from the care of the elderly department at Imperial College London, said: “It was not clear prior to our study whether the over 80s would benefit from blood pressure lowering medication in the same way as younger people.

“Our results are great news for people in this age group because they suggest that where they have high blood pressure, such treatment can cut their chances of dying as well as stroke.”

Definitive figures from the trial are being collected and the results will appear in a medical journal at a later date.