Take Your Blood Pressure Medication Or Else

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - I have been telling people for years that they should take blood pressure medication to control blood pressure. This is not dramatic and I am certainly not a genius for recommending it. In reality it only makes sense.

But, according to a new report from Tulane University, people who take blood pressure lowering medications have a 13% lower risk of dying from any cause compared to those who don't take their medications.

When you realize that cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, it makes sense to take the medications. In the past we have seen a proven link between high blood pressure and the risk of heart attack as well as high blood pressure and the risk of stroke.

This was not a small study. It involved 64,000 people. We know that high blood pressure is a silent killer. This just gives more information to support the need to control it.

Reported By Dr. Brian McDonough, KYW Newsradio Medical Editor