Discharging patients on intensified antihypertensive regimens can lead to serious adverse events, warn US researchers.

The study examined medical records and Medicare claims data to investigate the rates of hospital readmissions, medication-related severe adverse events and cardiovascular events after discharge in older adults with hypertension who were on intensified antihypertensive regimens versus those who weren’t.

It found patients discharged with intensified blood pressure treatment were 23% more likely to be readmitted and 41% more likely to have a serious adverse event within 30 days of discharge than patients whose treatment was not intensified.

Cardiovascular events within 30 days of discharge were uncommon but more likely among patients with intensified BP treatment.