Diuretics are the unsung heroes of blood pressure treatment. Such drugs have been around for decades and are among the most inexpensive pills in the pharmacy. They often don’t get much respect compared to newer and pricier anti-hypertensive medications. But a new analysis of more than 50 studies involving over 15,000 patients suggests that diuretics are highly effective, whether they are used alone or in combination with other blood pressure medicine.
The review revealed that the higher the dose of the diuretic, the stronger the effect. The investigators encourage prescribers to think of diuretics as a first line of defense for uncomplicated high blood pressure and to consider adding a diuretic to existing treatment that is not adequate for controlling hypertension.
[The Cochrane Collaboration, Oct 6, 2009]
