Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2020/09/02/blood-pressure-medication-can.html
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Sign me up!
Except I can’t go to the doctor with this catastrophic insurance I have, and the last thing on earth I need is some kind of diagnosis dirtying up my medical history.
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Careful out there. Low BP can be as dangerous as high BP.
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Came to comment similarly. At what point does reduced blood pressure become dangerously low blood pressure?
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My doctor says if my BP get under 100/60 to sit or lay down immediately. I start getting dizzy. Below 90/50 and I pass out and it is ER time. I think most MDs consider 90/60 warrants some concern, especially if pulse is above normal since it could mean you’re going into Atrial Fibrillation.
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I’ve heard similar types of things before, that certain meds that are used to treat hypertension have other positive effects. But in this study, or meta-study, I wasn’t able to discern exactly which kinds of meds they are talking about. Are they beta blockers? ACE inhibitors? Maybe diuretics? Or is it just the fact that the BP was reduced to a more acceptable level?
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Heart attack survivor here (it happened on 7/30)…there is only one reason to take blood pressure meds…and it is to regulate your BP to normal levels. As others have stated, too low blood pressure is also dangerous; however, beyond that risk, the BP meds have other side effects. Some can have an effect on clotting and act as inhibitors of platelet functions. I am now on a host of meds for at least another year to ensure the stent they put in doesn’t become its own set of problems. Assuming all goes well, I will stop taking most of them. A few I will be on for the rest of my life.
The best “medicine” for your blood pressure is to eat heart healthy foods, cut down red meat, drink in moderation, reduce salt/sodium to safe levels which means avoiding heavily processed foods, and keep anything high in saturated or trans fats to a minimum if not cut them out entirely if possible…don’t put bacon on everything.
That last bit is not possible for me…I must have Ye Olde Fish n Chips at least 2-3 times a year. 
I am down to highly lean red meat once per week, I allow myself two slices of uncured bacon per month, no more than 3 days per week will I have a drink and never more than 2. I didn’t eat fast food or processed foods more than a couple times a year, so easy enough to not have a bacon egg and cheese biscuit ever again.
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Yup, you can have reactions to the medication itself, and you can have blood pressure so low you fall or crash your car. You can’t just look at the reduction in heart attacks and strokes without looking at the other side of the equation-- obviously people who have blood pressure of zero also have no strokes or heart attacks, but that’s because they are dead. Here’s a recent review of the literature on serious adverse events associated with blood pressure medication: https://journals.lww.com/jhypertension/FullText/2019/11000/Serious_adverse_events_in_patients_with.4.aspx
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I was put on beta blockers because my blood pressure was at the high end of normal. My blood pressure went down too far, and my heart started racing when I did any physical activity, to push it back up. My doctor diagnosed this as panic attacks and put me on Xanax. I got rapidly addicted to Xanax (which screwed up my short term memory too) and couldn’t get off of it - my heart would start thumping wildly when I tried to taper off. Finally, using the method in the Ashton Manual (online, very useful) I switched to valium (a less potent benzodiazepine) and tapered off very slowly - it took me 4 months and was really hard.
So - I just walk a lot now to keep my blood pressure in check. And take no medications unless they are short term and absolutely necessary. My recommendation is to ignore this crap if you have normal blood pressure, and be very careful with any medication. Your doctors are well meaning, but often cause more harm than good.
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I sometimes get between 100 and 90 systolic pressure, but feel severe lack of energy then and doing anything becomes difficult.
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“Relax, you’ll live longer.”
Also, a recent study showed that blood pressure meds were more effective taken late at night rather than in the morning.
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Also be aware that some BP medications can cause angioedema:
Not sure if my aunt’s doctor alerted her to that particular side-effect, but her reaction was severe and she died as a result.
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Sigh, I wish people who published short results like this would do it properly. As someone else has already noted they omit any mention of harms from medication. The Number Needed to Harm for this kind of treatment is 1 in 12, that is, of 12 people on this kind of regime (hypertension drugs) 1 will be harmed by the medication. Full figures here: https://www.thennt.com/nnt/anti-hypertensives-for-cardiovascular-prevention-in-mild-hypertension/
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I’d have to ask what are the other physical effects of having below normal blood pressure? I presume there is some kind of trade off to consider. In addition to that what are the short term and long term side effects of the medication?
You’re taking good care of yourself. Glad you’re doing OK. I’m vegetarian for all practical purposes but had my first heart attack in my late forties. Then, 7 stents over the years, 5 more heart attacks, quad by-pass last year followed by 2 more stents a few months ago and angina since. I take so many pills that I rattle when I walk.
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JHC!
I had one blockage in a posterior minor artery. They were concerned about additional blocks but found nothing else during the angio. The two biggest things for me are losing about 20 lbs and keeping my HDL level up. Late forties too for this first one.
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Sooooo…why would some of the 348,854 participants, the ones with normal blood pressure, take blood pressure medication? Or did I misunderstand something?
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My blood pressure is normal but I was on blood pressure medication for a while because my BP was always measured when I was under stress (getting things measured does that to me). So I was put on a 24 hour monitor and my doctor determined that my level is perfectly fine and took me off it.
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Same here, and though I’d rather not take them, there has been at least one positive side effect: my regular migraines have completely disappeared. That’s reason enough for me to stay on the low dose I’m currently taking, BP aside.
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