Medications generally prescribed to reduce blood cholesterol levels, could also help lower blood pressure, a new report suggests.
Previous studies have found that the use of statins may be effective in reducing blood pressure, particularly among patients who suffer from hypertension, according to a report published in the latest issue of Archives of Internal Medicine.
Research conducted by Dr Beatrice Golomb and colleagues at the University of California, San Diego, revealed that after six months of statins treatment patients showed a decrease in blood pressure.
The authors of the report stated: "This study adds to our understanding of the effects of statins, currently the best-selling prescription drugs in the world.
"The reduction in blood pressure seen with statins may contribute – among other identified factors – to some of the ‘rapid’ cardiovascular benefits of statins, arising too swiftly to be explained by effects of statins on plaque accumulation."
According to latest data from the American Society of Hypertension, over 26 per cent of the US population suffered from hypertension between 2001 and 2004.
