Lowering Blood Pressure Can Stop or Reverse Heart Disease

MONDAY, Aug. 7 (HealthDay News) -- Aggressive reduction of blood pressure in people with coronary artery disease may stop, and even reverse, the disease, U.S. researchers report.

In fact, lowering patients' blood pressure may be as important as treatment to reduce cholesterol, said researchers at the Cleveland Clinic. They suggested that blood pressure levels currently recommended for coronary artery disease patients are not low enough for optimal control or reversal of the disease.

"Our results have important implications. They indicate that patients with coronary artery disease, such as those with previous heart attacks, could benefit from more aggressive lowering of their blood pressure, much like aggressive cholesterol management," cardiologist Dr. Ilke Sipahi said in a prepared statement.

His team reported the findings in the Aug. 15 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

The two-year study of 274 patients found that those with an average blood pressure level above 140 mm Hg systolic or 90 mm Hg diastolic showed a significant increase in the amount of plaque in their arteries.

In contrast, patients with blood pressure levels between 120-139 systolic and 80-90 diastolic showed no change in the amount of plaque over the two years, while those with a systolic pressure of less than 120 and diastolic pressure of less than 80 actually showed signs of reversal of coronary disease.

Current recommendations advise keeping systolic pressure below 140 and diastolic pressure below 90, regardless of whether a patient has heart disease.