Editorial Team
... Read More
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookie Policy.
Written By: Editorial Team | Published : May 29, 2014 6:23 PM IST
Certain blood pressure lowering medications may have dangerous side effects as researchers have found a link between taking vasodilators and developing early-stage age-related macular degeneration (AMD) that could lead to vision loss and blindness. AMD - the deterioration of the eye's macula, which is responsible for the ability to see fine details clearly - affects millions worldwide.
'As significant as these results may be, it is important that they be replicated first, and if possible tested in a clinical trials setting before changing anyone's medication regimens,' cautioned Ronald Klein from University of Wisconsin's school of medicine and public health. To reach this conclusion, the researchers conducted a long-term population-based cohort study from 1988 to 2013 of nearly 5,000 people aged 43 to 86 years. After adjusting for age, sex and other factors, the researchers found that using any vasodilator such as Apresoline and Loniten, which open (dilate) the blood vessels - was associated with a 72 percent greater risk of developing early-stage AMD. Among people who were not taking vasodilators, an estimated 8.2 percent developed signs of early AMD. In comparison, among those taking a vasodilator medication, 19.1 percent developed the disease. (Read: 10 ways hypertension or High BP affects your body)
While the study provides risk estimates of associations between blood pressure lowering medications and AMD at various stages, the researchers cautioned that their study was not able to discern effects of the medications themselves and the conditions for which participants were taking those medications. (Read: Beat high blood pressure with dal or lentils)
What is hypertension or high blood pressure?
Hypertension is the medical terminology for high blood pressure. Blood flows through the arteries due to force that is exerted every time the heart beats to pump blood to various organs of your body. The force with which blood flows exerts pressure on the walls of the arteries. The more the pressure, the harder your heart has to work to pump blood.
Blood pressure is measured in millimetres of mercury (mmHg). 120/80 mmHg is considered as the normal reading for blood pressure, where 120 is the pressure when the heart beats to pump out blood (systolic pressure) and 80 is the pressure when the heart rests between beats (diastolic pressure). A person is said to have hypertension when the blood pressure readings are 140/90 mmHg or higher.
Hypertension is one of the most common chronic conditions that can lead to several other health problems in the presence of contributing factors like genetics, obesity or high cholesterol levels. These factors further increase the resistance of blood flow through the arteries and cause high BP. Elevated blood pressure is linked to a variety of diseases like coronary artery diseases, stroke, kidney diseases, vision loss and erectile dysfunction. Hypertension can be curtailed by changes like exercising more, eating right and reducing stress apart from taking anti-hypertensive drugs. (Read: Hypertension or high BP types, causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment and prevention)
With inputs from IANS
You may also like to read:
For more articles on hypertension, visit our hypertension section. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for all the latest updates! For daily free health tips, sign up for our newsletter. And to join discussions on health topics of your choice, visit our forum.
