Survey: Tea or Pills over Exercise and Shots for High Blood Pressure Treatment

A new study reveals that when choosing a preferred treatment method for high blood pressure, they’d rather pop a pill or drink a cup of tea than exercise or get a shot.

Keeping blood pressure under control can help lower the risk of having a heart attack or stroke (Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine)

The American Heart Association says uncontrolled high blood pressure puts you at risk for serious and potentially deadly cardiac health issues like heart attack and stroke.

The heart health organization wanted to find out what options people would prefer for treating high blood pressure.

So, they put together a survey of nearly 14 hundred people, mostly under 45 years old and with high blood pressure.

Survey participants were asked to choose from four or five possible options for high blood pressure treatment preference.

Take a pill

• 79% prefer this for an extra month of life
• 90% for an extra year of life
• 96% for an extra five years of life

Drink a cup of tea

• 78% prefer this for an extra month of life
• 91% for an extra year of life
• 96% for an extra five years of life

Exercise

• 63% prefer this for an extra month of life
• 84% for an extra year of life
• 93% for an extra five years of life

Injection (shot)

Bi-annually (every 6 months)

• 68% prefer this for an extra month of life
• 85% for an extra year of life
• 93% for an extra five years of life

Monthly

•        51% prefer this for an extra month of life
•        74% for an extra year of life
•        88% for an extra five years of life

The survey also indicated that they would be willing to try any of the treatment options if they provided a greater benefit.

Blood pressure chart (©American Heart Association)

The survey findings were recently presented to researchers, healthcare professionals and policymakers at the American Heart Association’s Quality of Care and Outcomes Research Scientific Sessions 2018.

The organization describes the event as a top international conference that reviewed the latest research in patient care and outcomes in cardiovascular disease.