Blood pressure medications reduce stroke risk

Medications given to reduce blood pressure could also help in cutting the risk of stroke by almost 30%, new research suggests. This news could be a boon for patients who are at a high risk for brain stroke. Research led by doctors from the University of Sydney, termed PROGRESS (Perindopril protection against recurrent stroke study), shows that a combination of drugs used for lowering blood pressure could also reduce the risk of stroke by 28% and that of a heart attack by 30%. Two drugs – Perindopril and Indapamide used in the treatment of hypertension, when given in combination, benefit stroke patients. The study was conducted on 6000 patients across 172 hospitals in Europe, Asia and Australasia. The patients were randomly selected from a group who were diagnosed with stroke. Not all patients were hypertensive. They were divided into 3 groups – one group was given a combination of both drugs, another was given one drug and the third group was given a placebo. After four years, it was observed that those who were given doses of the experimental drugs had least number of recurring strokes as compared to the other groups. The findings were consistent in cases of patients with or without a history of hypertension. The researchers believe that the findings may have a big role to play in changing stroke management by doctors. About five million people worldwide suffer a fatal stroke every year. Others who may suffer may be severely disabled. The risk of having another stroke is high for people who have had one. Stroke caused due to bleeding is one of the toughest to treat and usually proves fatal. The risk factors for stroke include high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels and smoking.

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