Blood pressure drugs may increase life expectancy
Older Americans who need medication for hypertension can save money on their medical costs by shopping through an internet Canadian pharmacy, where such treatments may be cheaper.
Older Americans who need medication for hypertension can save money on their medical costs by shopping through an internet Canadian pharmacy, where such treatments may be cheaper. Following a doctor's instructions regarding these drugs is important, as new research from UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School suggests that patients who take their required hypertension medications tend to live longer than those who don't.
The study team followed up on the Systolic Hypertension in the Elderly Program (SHEP) trial, which took place between 1985 and 1990. The original experiment divided more than 4,700 subjects into groups that either took chlorthalidone-based therapy or a placebo. Results showed that those taking the drug were less likely to be admitted to the hospital for heart failure, stroke or coronary heart disease. There were no differences in death.
In the follow-up research, the study team analyzed mortality data from the SHEP trial through 2006, and concluded that each month an individual spent on treatment amounted to one more day of life expectancy.
Furthermore, after accounting for all causes of death in these patients, each month of medication in the treatment group led to one-half day greater life expectancy over subjects in the placebo group, as published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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