Blood Pressure medicine is not being taken correctly by 1 in 4 patients, revels a new U.S study. Almost 5 million Medicare prescription drug patients increase their risk of stroke and heart attack.
26 percent of the patients taking the medicine for Blood Pressure skiptheir daily doses or stop taking them entirely.
This study made by the U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC) showed that heart diseases kill almost 800,000 people each year in the U.S. This means about 1 out of 3 deaths is caused by a heart illness.
High blood pressure symptoms:
High blood pressure is a chronic disease and has 2 major categories: secondary hypertension and primary hypertension. The secondary hypertension is usually caused by a separate health condition whereas the primary one does not result from a specific cause.
People with high blood pressure experience symptoms such as dizzy spells, nosebleeds, and dull headaches. If the symptoms are severe headache shortness of breath and anxiety it means that the patient is having a hypertensive crisis.
CDC director Dr. Tom Frieden also specified that uncontrolled high blood pressure could cause mental decline and dementia if not treated early.
According to the CDC study, 70 % of people aged over 65 have high levels of blood pressure. Although a healthy lifestyle and exercise can help, the only solution for this condition is taking blood pressure medicine.
The research also showed that the non-adherence percentage of the drug could vary among the racial and ethnical group. People that are living in the South have a higher rate of non-adherence.
Another thing that revealed the difference is the type of medication taken. Diuretics, also known as water pills are abandoned more often compared to other types of drugs.
The low income can also have an influence in whether the patients are taking their medication or not. The lower-income persons have a higher rate of non-adherence.
The researchers encouraged the doctors to make the regimens easier to follow so that more people start using the drugs and checking to see if their patients are taking the medicine as directed.
“Everyone needs to understand how crucially important medicines to control blood pressure are,” Frieden said. “Medicines that control blood pressure can save your life. They can prevent you from having a stroke or heart attack. It’s important that you take them.”
Have you ever taken blood pressure medicine?
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