Seniors Tend to Neglect Blood Pressure Medication If they take Drugs for Other Conditions
Recent research has shown that older people who have high
blood pressure and other health conditions—such as asthma, depression, stomach
problems and arthritis—are more likely to take the drugs for everything but the
high blood pressure. In fact, patients were about half as likely to take their
hypertension medication. This is probably because the other conditions affect
daily life more, while high blood pressure generally causes no symptoms.
It’s important to remember that high blood pressure greatly
increases your risk of stroke and heart disease. High blood pressure is called
the silent killer for this very reason.
If your doctor has prescribed medication to lower your
blood pressure, be sure to take it, even if you take other drugs as well. It can
be bothersome to take different medications, but the result is worth it if you
can avoid a debilitating stroke or heart attack.
Journal of the American Heart Association, June 2005.