This study investigated whether drugs that reduce high blood pressure (antihypertensive drugs) reduce the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease in patients with high blood pressure.

High blood pressure (hypertension) is when pressure inside blood vessels is too high. This can cause a number of complications such as making the heart stiff and weakening blood vessels.

High blood pressure has been associated with developing Parkinson’s disease (PD). Parkinson’s disease is a common disorder affects the nerves in the brain. It leads to uncontrolled tremors in hands and difficulty walking and moving. 

This study investigated whether antihypertensive drugs can reduce the risk of developing PD in patients with high blood pressure.

A total of 65,000 patients who had high blood pressure but not Parkinson’s disease or any other form of dementia or stroke were included in the study. Patients were receiving different antihypertensive drugs such as calcium channel blockers e.g. Amlodipine (Norvasc), angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) e.g. Benazepril (Lotensin), angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) e.g. Azilsartan (Edarbi), and beta-blockers e.g. Nadolol (Corgard). The effect of beta-blockers on PD was used as a reference to compare all other antihypertensive drugs to.

Patients were checked after an average of 4.6 years to see if they developed and died from PD. The study found that a certain type of calcium channel blocker, called dihydropyridines, e.g. Amlodipine (Norvasc), was associated with a 29% reduced risk of death from PD, compared to non-dihydropyridines e.g.Verapamil (Calan, Isoptin). 

Additionally, dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers that enter and act inside the brain were associated with a 31% reduced risk of death from PD, compared to dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers that only work outside of the brain.The most effective antihypertensive drugs that reduced the risk the risk of death from PD were Felodipine (Plendil) (56% reduction) and Amlodipine (Norvasc) (40% reduction). It was found that higher doses of ACEIs and ARBs may also have a protective effect.  

The study concluded that dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers might decrease the incidence of PD in patients with high blood pressure.

This study was carried out in a predominantly Chinese population; therefore, caution should be taken when comparing these results with other ethnicities.

If you, or someone you know, have high blood pressure and are receiving antihypertensive medication, talk to a doctor about the health benefits of taking dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers such as Amlodipine or Felodipine.