#high blood pressure# hypertension treatment# combination pills# single pill combination therapy# blood pressure medication# heart health# stroke prevention# American Heart Association# hypertension management# cardiovascular disease# BP control# ACE inhibitors# ARBs# calcium channel blockers# Health News
Taking one pill that combines two or more blood pressure medications may help adults with high blood pressure (also known as hypertension) lower their blood pressure level faster and more effectively than taking multiple medications separately, and it may also reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke, according to a new scientific statement published recently in the American Heart Association’s journal Hypertension.
The new scientific statement, Single-Pill Combination Therapy for the Management of Hypertension, details the latest clinical evidence surrounding the use of single-pill combination medications for patients with high blood pressure, strategies to implement single-pill combinations into clinical practice and knowledge gaps that require further investigation, reported American Heart Association’website.
According to the 2025 American Heart Association Statistical Update, nearly half of U.S. adults, about 122 million people, have high blood pressure, defined as blood pressure measures equal to or higher than 130/80 mm Hg. High blood pressure is the #1 modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease and it is a leading cause of heart attack, stroke, heart failure, kidney disease, cognitive decline and dementia.
The recently published 2025 AHA/ACC High Blood Pressure Guideline recommends combining healthy lifestyle behaviors and early treatment with one or more blood pressure medications to lower blood pressure, if necessary. For people with blood pressure levels 140/90 mm Hg or higher (stage 2 hypertension), the guideline recommends beginning treatment with two medications at once – preferably in a single combination pill.
“Most people with high blood pressure need two or more blood pressure medications to reach target blood pressure measurements; however, taking multiple pills each day can be confusing or hard to keep up with,” said Jordan B. King, Pharm.D., M.S., chair of the scientific statement writing group and an associate professor of population health sciences at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. “Single-pill combination pills are valuable tools to manage high blood pressure. Individuals taking a single combination pill are able to achieve optimal blood pressure levels sooner than peers who take the same medications in separate pills.”
The statement authors note that single-pill combination medications are not the same as a “polypill.” Single-pill combination medications combine two or more blood pressure medications into a single pill, whereas polypills combine one or more blood pressure medications with statins (cholesterol-lowering medication) and/or aspirin. Polypills aim to reduce cardiovascular risk for patients requiring multiple preventive therapies.
There are several types of effective medications to treat high blood pressure, including angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs), calcium channel blockers and thiazide-type diuretics which are first-line recommended medications. However, less than 50% of U.S. adults who have been diagnosed with and are being treated for high blood pressure achieve the recommended blood pressure goal of less than 130/80 mm Hg.
