A NEW study by Oxford researchers has brought into question current guidelines surrounding treatment of patients with low-risk high blood pressure.

The research found no evidence to support recent US guideline recommendations that encourage doctors to offer treatment to patients with low-risk mild hypertension.

Dr James Sheppard from Oxford University’s Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, who led the study, said: “This suggests that doctors should be cautious when considering hypertension treatment in this group and we would therefore encourage a conversation between a patient and their doctor to decide the best way to treat the condition.

Dr Sheppard said younger patients in particular may prefer to adopt lifestyle changes to reduce their blood pressure, rather than committing to taking antihypertensive drugs for many years.

However experts have warned the study which medical records of more than 38,000 patients in the UK over a period of 15 years, should be interpreted 'with caution' considering the lack of clinical trials on the topic.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is currently reviewing its guidelines for treating people with hypertension, which are due to be announced next year.