Study Shows Statins Could Lower Blood Pressure

High blood pressure is a problem that many people around the world are dealing with. It is a dangerous condition because a person doesn’t know that their blood pressure is high unless they find out during a medical exam or the adverse health effects become evident.

In a study by the American College of Cardiology called the Hope-3 trial, it was shown that statins could significantly reduce the negative effects of high blood pressure when the patient was at moderate risk of heart disease and whose cholesterol was average.

Three reports were generated from the Hope-3 trial and all three of them stated that the use of medications that lowered blood pressure was only beneficial when the patient had a higher level of blood pressure.

Previous studies had looked at the effects of blood pressure and cholesterol drugs for people who already had renal and cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and a range of other conditions.

Current guidelines state that the drugs are recommended for people that are likely to develop cardiovascular disease.

The Hope-3 Trial

The Hope-3 trial looked at the outcomes of using blood pressure and cholesterol-lowering drugs to prevent cardiovascular issues in those at moderate risk.

Statins were found to be effective on their own or when combined with blood pressure medications for preventing deaths due to cardiovascular disease, strokes, heart failure, and heart attacks. The drugs were found to result in better outcomes than when a patient had elevated blood pressure and used a placebo.

The drugs showed no improvement in blood pressure for those with blood pressure that was slightly elevated. Those with low blood pressure were trending toward more negative outcomes.

The conclusion in the study was that statins should be used more when treating high blood pressure. It was found that the benefit is doubled when simultaneously lowering cholesterol while lowering blood pressure. This was measured using nearly 13,000 subjects in 21 countries.

Each participant had to have at least one risk factor for cardiovascular disease. That risk factor could be a genetic predisposition, smoking, pre-existing heart disease, or a high waist-to-hip ratio. None of the subjects had yet been diagnosed with cardiovascular disease.

The benefits were shown across multiple ethnic groups. Even all LDL cholesterol levels benefited, proving that the cholesterol level didn’t factor into the determination of whether a person would be able to reap the benefits of taking a statin.

It was also found that, for medication, it is relatively safe, although some patients report a number of side effects that required dose reduction or completely stopping the statin.

Side Effects of Statins on Blood Pressure

The Mayo Clinic reports several side effects and risks when it comes to taking statins just for high cholesterol. Those side effects include:

• Muscle pain and damage
• Liver damage
• Increased blood glucose levels, risking type 2 diabetes
• Memory loss
• Confusion

Those at the highest risk of developing statin side effects are:

• Men and women aged 65 and older
• Being female
• Taking more than one cholesterol-lowering medication
• Alcohol consumption
• Liver or kidney disease
• Having a small body frame

There are also certain foods and drugs that interact with statins, such as:

• Medications that treat irregular heart rhythms
• Other cholesterol-lowering drugs
• Some immunosuppressants
• Some antifungal and antibiotic medications
• Protease inhibitors
• Grapefruit

The best way to know if a statin is going to interfere with a food or drug is to consult with your doctor or pharmacist.

When side effects occur, it may be necessary to stop the drug, switch to another statin, avoid vigorous exercise to prevent muscle injury, lower the dose, or add Q10 supplements. It is best to weigh the benefits against the risks to know if a statin is going to help you. If it does help and you have to be removed from therapy because of side effects, you could potentially be at a higher risk again for hypertension-related cardiovascular disease.

Natural Hypertension Treatment

It can be beneficial to explore natural blood pressure treatments. PD120 is a natural supplement that uses natural ingredients to help maintain healthy blood pressure levels. Two soft gels a day and that’s all you have to take.

As mentioned earlier, Q10 supplements can be added to a statin to reduce the side effects. CoQ10 is actually an ingredient in PD120. It is effective because CoQ10 is naturally found in the body and helps organs and muscles regulate energy levels. It also benefits the heart.

Other ingredients include Vitamin C, L-Theanine, Vitamin A, Sea buckthorn, Vitamin B1, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B2, Flax Seed Oil, Omega 9, Omega 6, and Omega 3. All these ingredients play important roles in everything from metabolism and anti-inflammatory properties to improving cholesterol and blood pressure. They are ingredients that nature designed and they do the same things that statins were created to do.

For instance, Omega 9 is known for improving heart health and controlling blood glucose levels. This results in a reduced risk of stroke. Flax Seed Oil helps cholesterol and hardening of the arteries. Omega 3 helps protect against sudden cardiac death. Overall, there is a long list of benefits that can help blood pressure, cholesterol, rheumatoid arthritis, mental and physical stress, and so much more. Everything goes together to help ensure overall better health.

While it is possible for you to take PD120 by itself to help better maintain your high blood pressure, it is still best to be monitored by your physician. You can also take PD120 with your medications. If taking statins or any other type of drug, the CoQ10 in PD120 can be very beneficial to preventing some of the side effects that can affect quality of life.

If you are concerned about current medications and want to try something natural or you need to add a natural supplement to your medications, PD120 may be what you need. As research on statins moves it closer to being an effective treatment for high blood pressure, the need for supplements like PD120 is going to increase to aid in overall health and the management of side effects.