The American College of Cardiology did something in 2017 that made drug companies very happy.
They came out with new guidelines that recommended blood pressure medication for patients with readings of 130/80 or higher.
They called this “stage 1 hypertension,” meaning these numbers would now count as high blood pressure. The previous threshold for treatment was 140/90.
The new lower standard meant that millions more Americans would be prescribed hypertension drugs… And it meant massive new revenues for Big Pharma.
Now, a major European study shows that the new blood pressure recommendations are bogus.1
Professor Karl-Heinz Ladwig of the Technical University of Munich led the research. “The idea behind the U.S. guidelines is to lower blood pressure as early as possible and, by presenting patients with a diagnosis, to encourage them to adopt a healthier lifestyle,” he says.2
But how much sense does that make in practice? Using data from about 12,000 patients, Professor Ladwig and his colleagues attempted to find out.
The team studied the 10-year chances of death from heart disease among people with various levels of high blood pressure.
They found that people with blood pressure in the range of 130-139/80-89 have no higher mortality risk than those with lower blood pressure. This is true even though the new guidelines say they should be taking hypertension drugs.
Another important finding: People who take medication for high blood pressure are more likely to suffer depression.
With the new guidelines, the percentage of Americans diagnosed with high blood pressure rose from 32% to 46%. “That means 14% more who have to deal with the additional mental stress,” says Professor Ladwig. So those patients risk becoming depressed while getting no real benefit from their medication.
In Europe, treatment for hypertension is not considered until patients are at or above 140/80. Professor Ladwig says his research shows it would be “a serious mistake” to change that in favor of the new U.S. guidelines.
3 Natural Strategies to Fight High Blood Pressure
If your blood pressure is in the 130s/80s, don’t let your doctor put you on hypertension drugs. The new study shows you are not at increased risk for heart problems. And going on medication puts you in danger of suffering depression. Instead, try these three natural blood pressure solutions…
- Drop those extra pounds. Yes, it’s easier said than done. But this is one of the most effective ways to reduce your blood pressure. Research shows you lose a point in your BP reading for every 2.2 pounds you drop.3
- Move. Just half an hour of exercise five or six days a week will cut your BP numbers by about 5 to 8 points. Any kind of exercise will work…walking, running, swimming, lifting weights. We believe high-intensity interval training is most effective.
- Take these supplements. There are a number of supplements that are known to help lower BP. These include magnesium, vitamin D, CoQ10, potassium, omega-3, and garlic.
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References:
1 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=Association+of+hypertension+cut-off+values+with+10-year+cardiovascular+mortality
2 https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-11/tuom-bpe112318.php
3
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-pressure/in-depth/high-blood-pressure/art-20046974