NICE removes β blockers as first line treatment for hypertension

β blockers are no longer recommended for the first line or second line treatment of hypertension, says an updated guideline for England and Wales. The guideline recommends that for hypertensive patients aged 55 or older or for black patients of any age the first choice for initial treatment should be either a calcium channel blocker or a thiazide-type diuretic. Black patients are considered to be those of African or Caribbean descent, not people of Asian descent or mixed race people. For patients under the age of 55 an angiotensin …