Blood pressure medication cut cardiac risks by 11% when taken regularly — ScienceDaily

Regular use of blood pressure-lowering medications is associated with significantly better protection against heart attacks, strokes and other severe cardiovascular events. Researchers reached these conclusions after presenting an analysis at ESC Congress 2026, ScienceDaily reports.

Scientists analyzed individual data from 91,339 participants in nine clinical trials. Each trial compared treatment to control blood pressure with a placebo or a less intensive treatment regimen.

The difference depended on treatment regularity

Participants were divided into two groups based on adherence to the prescribed therapy. Adherence was considered higher when a person took at least 80% of the prescribed medication; the lower-adherence group included those who took less than 80% of their medication.

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Among patients with higher adherence, systolic blood pressure in the treatment group was 5.2 mmHg lower than in the comparison group. With lower adherence, this difference was 3.0 mmHg.

Protection against cardiovascular events

Researchers classified stroke, myocardial infarction, coronary heart disease and heart failure resulting in hospitalization or death as major cardiovascular events. In the group of people who regularly adhered to treatment, the rate of such events was 11% lower compared with the group using the alternative approach. Participants with lower adherence had no statistically significant reduction in this measure.

Even under regular monitoring in clinical trials, adherence to therapy worsened over time: in the first year, 88% of participants met the threshold for higher adherence, while by the fifth year, 79% did. The researchers propose assessing treatment adherence more often, simplifying treatment regimens, combining several medications into one pill and using long-acting medicines.