Recommended diuretic for hypertension associated with greater risk of hypokalemia compared with similar alternative

Researcher suggests that chlorthalidone — the guideline-recommended diuretic to lower blood pressure — may be associated with greater risks of adverse side effects, including hypokalemia, compared with hydrochlorothiazide, which appears similarly effective at reducing blood pressure. Researchers from Columbia University Irving Medical Center (NY, USA) have analyzed data on more than 730,225 individuals and determined that chlorthalidone — the guideline-recommended diuretic for use as a hypertensive treatment — is associated with greater risks of adverse side effects, such as hypokalemia, compared with hydrochlorothiazide, which appears similarly effective at lowering blood pressure. Hypokalemia — low circulating levels of potassium in the blood...