When it came to decreasing blood pressure in people with uncontrolled hypertension, a new 3-in-1 blood pressure pill performed better than conventional therapy. Over a billion individuals worldwide are thought to suffer from hypertension, which is a major risk factor for mortality and causes 10.8 million deaths annually.
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The GMRx2 tablet is taken once daily and contains small amounts of three blood pressure medications: indapamide, amlodipine, and telmisartan. One medicine is first prescribed to manage hypertension, if it proves ineffective, two or more may be added as necessary.
In a recent trial, 300 persons with uncontrolled blood pressure, ages 52 on average, were randomly allocated to either normal medication or the triple tablet. Compared to 55% of patients receiving standard care, 81% of those in the GMRx2 group had their blood pressure under control after just one month. At six months, this improvement persisted, with 82% of patients gaining control, up from 72% on standard care.
After six months, the GMRx2 group’s systolic blood pressure was 31 mmHg lower than the standard care group’s, a 5.8 mmHg difference. Major cardiovascular events like heart attacks, strokes, and heart failure are reduced by 10% for every 5 mmHg drop in systolic blood pressure. Both therapy regimens were highly received.
“In low-income countries, fewer than one in four treated people achieve blood pressure control and in high-income settings, it is only between 50 percent and 70 percent,” the lead researcher said. “So, to see rates of over 80 percent in just one month is impressive.”
Results of the experimental trial were presented at the European Society of Cardiology Congress and simultaneously published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.