Missing blood pressure medicine may reduce its protection against heart attacks and strokes. Researchers studied information about 91,339 people in nine medical studies. These studies compared blood pressure treatment with a different treatment or a pill with no medicine. The researchers shared their findings at ESC Congress 2026.
The researchers put people into two groups. One group took at least 80% of their planned medicine, and the other took less. In the first year, 88% of people reached this mark. By the fifth year, only 79% reached it.
Blood pressure fell more among people who took their medicine more regularly. In this group, people on the treatment had 11% fewer serious heart and blood vessel problems than people on the comparison treatment. These problems included heart attacks and strokes. For people who took less medicine, the results did not show a clear fall in these problems.
The researchers want health workers to check more often whether people take their medicine. They also suggest helping people understand their treatment and making it easier to follow. Possible steps include simpler times for taking medicine and putting several medicines into one pill. Medicines that work for longer may also help when someone misses a dose.
