Two drugs better for high blood pressure?

LONDON, Jan. 13 (UPI) -- When it comes to treating high blood pressure, two drugs are better than one, British researchers say.

High blood pressure, a major risk factor for heart attacks and strokes, often requires more than one drug over a period of months to control it, but a study has found beginning treatment with two medicines together reduces blood pressure by 25 percent compared with using one drug at a time, The Daily Telegraph reported Thursday.

The research involving 1,250 patients with high blood pressure showed that starting treatment with the two drugs aliskiren and amlodipine in a combination pill was more effective at reducing blood pressure than one drug.

Scientists say they suspect taking the drugs in series, first one then the other, allows the body to neutralize each of them in turn, whereas taking them together may prevent this from happening.

"This study adds significantly to the evidence that starting treatment for patients with high blood pressure with two medicines rather than one is safe, and more effective than waiting to add the second medicine later," Jeremy Pearson, associate medical director at the British Heart Foundation, said.

High blood pressure is estimated to affect 10 million people in the United Kingdom.