Health fears over blood pressure drug

A BLOOD pressure lowering drug used to treat some patients immediately after they have had a stroke has no benefits and could even be harmful, according to a study.

Researchers said the results meant the drug should no longer be given to patients within the first week of them suffering a stroke. In most cases, medication to treat high blood pressure after a stroke is not given, but it is prescribed in the most extreme cases. But the Norwegian research, published in The Lancet yesterday, suggests that the drug, called Candesartan, does not help these patients.

Maddy Halliday, the Stroke Association's Scotland director, said: "We welcome any research which could provide further guidance on how to treat stroke patients."