Blood pressure drugs lead to stroke reduction

Elderly patients may be less likely to need stroke rehabilitation following promising results from a trial involving blood pressure drugs.

An international trial involving more than 3,800 patients was producing such encouraging results that researchers have stopped it early in order that other patients can benefit from the treatment.

Researchers at Imperial College London's care of the elderly department gave participants a combination of drugs to test the effects of lowering blood pressure in over-80s.

The patients, who all had high blood pressure, were given an ACE inhibitor called perindopril and either a low-dose diuretic or a placebo.

Results suggest that lowering blood pressure can bring about a significant reduction in stroke and mortality.

"It was not clear prior to our study whether the over-80s would benefit from blood pressure lowering medication in the same way as younger people," said prinical investigator Emeritus Professor Chris Bulpitt.

He added that the results are "great news" for over-80s with high blood pressure as they suggest that treatment can cut their chances of dying and suffering a stroke.

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