Scientists Reveal Why Regularly Taking Blood Pressure Medication Is Crucial for Heart Health

Frequently skipping blood pressure medication may significantly reduce its ability to prevent heart attacks, strokes and other serious cardiovascular complications. A large study involving more than 91,000 participants found that patients who consistently took their prescribed medicines experienced greater reductions in blood pressure and cardiovascular risk than those who frequently missed doses.

Presented at ESC Congress 2026, the study conducted by researchers at the University of Oxford examined how medication adherence influences the effectiveness of treatments for hypertension.

High blood pressure affects approximately 1.4 billion adults worldwide and is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Although antihypertensive medications can prevent serious complications, nearly half of patients do not take them as prescribed.

Researchers analysed individual patient data from 91,339 participants across nine randomised clinical trials comparing blood pressure-lowering treatments with placebo or less-intensive treatment.

Participants were classified according to medication adherence. Those taking at least 80% of their prescribed medication were considered to have higher adherence, while those taking less than 80% were classified as having lower adherence.

The findings revealed that medication adherence declined over time, with 88% of participants maintaining higher adherence during the first year, compared with 79% by the fifth year.

Importantly, patients with higher adherence experienced a 5.2 mmHg greater reduction in systolic blood pressure with the intervention than the comparator treatment, compared with just 3.0 mmHg among those with lower adherence.

Furthermore, participants with higher adherence experienced an 11% lower incidence of major cardiovascular events, including heart attacks, strokes and heart failure-related hospitalisations or deaths, compared with their respective comparator group.

In contrast, no statistically significant reduction in cardiovascular events was observed among patients with lower adherence.

However, adherence itself was not randomly assigned, so the findings cannot establish that missed doses alone caused the differences.

Researchers emphasised the importance of routinely assessing medication adherence, simplifying treatment schedules and addressing barriers that prevent patients from taking medicines consistently.

REFERENCE: European Society of Cardiology. "Scientists reveal the hidden danger of missing blood pressure medication." ScienceDaily.