Patients dealing with rheumatoid arthritis are often prescribed methotrexate. Researchers have recently discovered that this drug is also effective in lowering blood pressure and can possibly help lower the risk of heart disease.
Results were published in the Annals of Medicine of a study that followed 62 adults who had recently been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis but who had not yet started treatment.
The study took place over a six month period with half of the participants being given methotrexate and the other half receiving sulfasalazine, which is another commonly prescribed drug for rheumatoid arthritis.
Researchers found that methorexate lowered systolic blood pressure by an average of 7.4mmHg compared with the group taking sulfasalazine. Even slight reductions in high blood pressure can help lower the risk of heart disease.
More research is needed to confirm these study results and examine how methotrexate lowers blood pressure.
