Many people take medicine called beta-blockers to control high blood pressure. These drugs help lower the risk of heart disease, which is a major cause of death around the world. But a new study shows that these medicines might not work the same way for everyone-especially for women. This research was done by scientists from the University of Bologna and was published in the journal Hypertension. The team looked at a large group of 13, 764 adults from 12 countries in Europe. All of them had high blood pressure, but none had a history of heart disease before. Some were taking beta-blockers, and others were not. The researchers wanted to know what happens when these people later experience a serious heart event known as acute coronary syndrome. This is when the blood flow to the heart suddenly drops, which can cause a heart attack or other problems. They compared the results between men and women who were taking beta-blockers. The findings were surprising. Women who were taking beta-blockers had a 4. 6% higher chance of developing heart failure after having a heart event, compared to men. In one severe kind of heart attack called STEMI, where a main artery is fully blocked, the gap was even bigger. Women in this situation were 6. 1% more likely to get heart failure than men. Heart failure is a very serious condition where the heart can’t pump blood well enough to meet the body’s needs. People who developed heart failure were about seven times more likely to die compared to those who had a heart attack without heart failure. So even a small increase in risk can have a big impact on people’s lives. Interestingly, when people were not taking beta-blockers, the difference between men and women mostly disappeared. This means the medicine itself might be part of the reason women are at higher risk. The study didn’t look into every possible cause, but one idea is that beta-blockers might interact with hormone treatments that some women take, like hormone replacement therapy. This could be making things worse, but more research is needed to understand this. The scientists say this study is a warning that one-size-fits-all treatments might not be safe for everyone. Doctors should think more about differences between men and women when choosing medicines. Women with high blood pressure who don’t yet have heart disease should be especially careful. Eating healthy, staying active, and managing stress might be safer ways to control blood pressure than relying only on pills. This study is a strong reminder that medicines can affect men and women in different ways. It shows the need for more personalized healthcare so that every person can get the safest and most effective treatment. If you care about blood pressure, please read studies about blood pressure drug that may increase risk of sudden cardiac arrest, and these teas could help reduce high blood pressure. For more health information, please see recent studies about nutrient that could strongly lower high blood pressure, and results showing this novel antioxidant may help reverse blood vessels aging by 20 years.
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Why beta-blockers may be more dangerous for women with high blood pressure
