Originally published October 19 2005
Swedish study calls beta blockers into question
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
Researchers from Umea University Hospital collected data from 105,000 people and found that beta blockers, particularly atenolol, were less effective than newer drugs in reducing blood pressure and cutting risks of stroke and heart attacks.
A Swedish team analysed data on more than 105,000 people and found beta blockers were not as effective as other drugs in reducing high blood pressure.
The Lancet findings echo a high profile international study last month which found modern drugs were more effective.
They found that one of the drugs, atenolol, was less effective than other drugs at reducing the risk of heart and circulation problems in patients with high blood pressure.
They found that the risk of stroke was 16% higher with beta blockers than with other drugs - and the overall chance of dying was 3% higher.
A separate analysis showed that beta blockers cut the risk of a stroke by just 19% compared to having no treatment at all - about half the effect expected from previous trials.
Lead researcher Professor Lars Hjalmar Lindholm said: "Switching hypertension treatment from beta blockers to other low-cost antihypertensive drugs in patients without heart disease should have a major health effect without increasing the cost.
In September the full results from the Ascot study found that beta blockers were out-performed by newer drugs such as calcium channel blockers and ACE inhibitors.
The NHS drug watchdog, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE), has said it will consider its advice on blood pressure lowering drugs in light of recent data.
Alison Shaw, of the British Heart Foundation, said beta blockers had a wide range of benefits for patients besides lowering blood pressure.
"There is strong evidence that beta-blockers help to prevent angina attacks and reduce heart attack risk for people with coronary heart disease.
"People taking beta-blockers should not consider stopping or changing their medications on the basis of this study.
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