New drugs have less side-effects

According to a recent study conducted in the United Kingdom, while beta-blockers help many people control blood pressure and cut associated risks of strokes, heart attacks and death, other treatments work better and have less serious side-effects.

Beta-blockers reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes by 20 percent. But the study, involving 19,000 patients, shows that switching from beta-blockers to the newer drugs not only reduces the risk of heart attacks by 20 percent, but halves the risk of stroke.

Beta-blockers also increase the risk of type-2 diabetes by 20 percent, the study said.

However, patients, who are at risk of pregnancy, those with angina or who have no side-effects and whose blood pressure is 'perfectly in control' should stay on beta-blockers, the experts said.

"It is important that beta-blockers are effective drugs. But they are just less effective than some of the new drugs," said Gordon Mclnnes, vice-president of Hypertension Society in the UK.

Noted cardiologist Prof Nazrul Islam advised the hypertension patients not to be scared by the recent reports on the side-effects of beta-blockers, saying, "Nothing to be worried about this report and doctors will advise the patients if required."

Prescriptions should be given on the basis of physical and financial condition of the patients, he added.

Prof FM Siddiqui of Medicine Department, Dhaka Medical College and Hospital, said the modern drugs reduce the possibility of stroke without any side-effects.