High blood pressure or hypertension is a prevalent health problem found in almost 25% of the global population. If uncontrolled, high blood pressure can increase the risk of morbidity and mortality. This study aims to determine the effect of first-line drug treatment for hypertension on blood pressure.

This observational cohort study included new users of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEI) or angiotensin receptor blockers (ARB), thiazides, and calcium channel blockers (CCB). The primary outcome of the study was the change in systolic blood pressure in the new users of these drugs.

During a follow-up of one year, 87,440 new users of ACEI/ACB, 67,274 of CCB, and 22,040 of thiazides were found. The ethnicity-based analysis showed that in non-black people aged 55 or younger with no diabetes, CCB use was associated with a larger reduction of systolic blood pressure. The reduction difference was 1.69 mm Hg when compared with ACEI/ARB for patients younger than 55 years and 0.40 mm Hg in patients older than 55 years. Similar results were found with CCB use.

The research concluded that the use of CCB for hypertension was associated with similar results as with the use of ACEI/ARB.

Ref: https://www.bmj.com/content/371/bmj.m4080

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