Blood pressure drugs improve survival after stroke

Researchers examined whether persistence with blood pressure medication after a stroke is associated with better ourcomes.

A stroke is caused by an interruption of blood to the brain. Ischemic stroke (IS) is the most common type of stroke and happens when an artery to the brain is blocked. Many people who have an IS also have related health problems, such as high blood pressure (hypertension). For this reason, many patients are prescribed anti-hypertensive (AH) drugs (blood pressure lowering drugs) after an IS. Unfortunately, not all patients have good adherence to their prescriptions, meaning that they may not continue taking these AH drugs after a period. It is not known how many patients have good adherence to their AH drugs after a stroke, but poor adherence could have serious effects on patients’ health. Therefore, it is important to know how often patients have good adherence to AH drugs and what impact this has on their long-term health and survival.

Researchers followed 8,409 patients with an IS and who were diagnosed with hypertension. All patients were prescribed AH drugs. High adherence to AH drugs was defined here as patients taking their medication more than 75% of the time, whereas low adherence was defined as patients taking their AH medication less than 75% of the time. Only 31.6% of patients were classified as high adherence, while 68.4% were classified as low adherence. High adherence patients were 22% less likely to have another stroke, 29% less likely to have a vascular event (stroke, heart attack, or clotting), and 56% more likely to survive the one year study compared to low adherence patients. Older age, history of stroke, heart attack, diabetes, and severe stroke increased the likelihood of another stroke, vascular event, or death. Patients who were also taking drugs that prevent blood clotting (blood thinners) in addition to AH drugs had a decreased risk of experiencing these events.

In summary, researchers found that good adherence to prescribed AH medications decreased the risk of repeated stroke, vascular events, and death in patients who have had an IS.

If you find it difficult to take your prescribed AH medication regularly, talk to your doctor about ways to improve adherence to your prescription.