Scientists reveal the hidden danger of missing blood pressure medication
A study presented at the ESC Congress 2026 reveals that poor adherence to blood pressure medication significantly increases the risk of cardiovascular events. Researchers analyzed data from over 91,000 participants and found that even in clinical trial settings, patient consistency declines over time.
Why it matters
Improving medication adherence is critical for reducing global mortality rates associated with hypertension and cardiovascular disease.
Missing doses of blood pressure medication could significantly reduce its ability to protect against heart attacks, strokes, and other serious cardiovascular problems, according to findings presented at ESC Congress 2026.
An estimated 1.4 billion adults worldwide between the ages of 30 and 79 have high blood pressure (hypertension), a major contributor to illness and death. Although medications that lower blood pressure are proven to reduce the risk of cardiovascular complications, approximately half of patients do not take their prescriptions as directed.
"We have evidence that poor adherence to antihypertensive medication is associated with worse outcomes," explained presenter, Miss Qianqian Yang from the University of Oxford, UK. "However, previous data has come from observational studies and could be confounded by other factors. We undertook an analysis of randomized trial data to assess the true impact of adherence on the benefits of antihypertensive treatment."
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