Plan to medicate all over-55s ‘ludicrous’

THE Irish Heart Foundation has dismissed as “ludicrous” a plan by one of Britain’s leading medical experts to give everyone over the age of 55 drugs to lower their blood pressure.

London-based epidemiology expert Professor Malcolm Law said blood pressure drugs cut the risk of heart attack and stroke even for those with normal blood pressure.

His conclusion, published in the British Medical Journal and backed by other experts in Britain, is based on a review of 147 studies involving 464,000 people.

However, the Irish Heart Foundation as well as Britain’s Stroke Association warned the drugs, known as polypills, could have serious side-effects.

Dr Brian Maurer, Medical Director of the Irish Heart Foundation said: “It is ludicrous to suggest that healthy people should take an agent which may make them ill to ensure a benefit given to some. The principal of a polypill, which contains five pills in one, may have side effects for those who take it.

“I do not agree with giving drugs indiscriminately to all aged over 55 years in order to lower or control blood pressure and cholesterol levels, when in many cases lifestyle adjustments such as increasing physical activity, may achieve the desired health outcome.”

The British research found most types of blood pressure drugs cut the risk of heart attacks and heart failure by around a quarter and the risk of stroke by about a third.

The studies looked at the effect on two blood pressure measurements; systolic – the pressure when the heart beats while pumping blood – and diastolic – the pressure when the heart is at rest between beats.

Prof Law, an expert in epidemiology at the Wolfson Institute at Barts and The London School of Medicine, said: “Beyond a certain age, we’re saying everyone would benefit from taking drugs that lower blood pressure.

“What we call ‘normal’ blood pressure is actually high, and what we call high blood pressure is actually higher.”

Prof Law said the universal use of blood pressure drugs should be seen as analogous to vaccinating the entire population in the event of a flu pandemic.

However, Dr Maurer said there was no real comparison. “It is simply not valid. A flu vaccine is a once-off measure, designed to tackle a specific and definable threat. What he is suggesting is a totally indiscriminate approach.

“All drugs interfere with basic biological processes and their use is only justified if an individual has a specific condition and is likely to benefit by the administration of a particular drug. Otherwise, you run the risk of creating more problems than you solve.”

Joanne Murphy, of Britain’s Stroke Association, said: “Whilst blood pressure medication is one of the safest and most studied medications, they do have side-effects and should only be prescribed to people who are at significant risk of stroke.”

Professor Alan Maryon-Davis, president of the Faculty of Public Health in Britain, said: “Mass medication turns us all into patients and I don’t think it’s the best approach.”