BAKERSFIELD, Calif. -- New research has challenged the notion that only patients with high blood pressure can benefit from drug treatment.

Doctors from Great Britain analyzed four decades worth of clinical research on hypertension medications and studied more than 400,000 people.

Results showed that the blood pressure drugs reduced the odds of stroke and heart disease for essentially all patients, even those with no history of heart disease or hypertension.

The medications cut the risk for heart attacks by about one-quarter and the risk for strokes by one-third.

There are five main classes of drugs to lower blood pressure, including diuretics, ACE inhibitors and calcium channel blockers. Researchers said all classes reduced heart risk, and a combination of pills was often the most effective.

The authors suggested that all seniors should be offered the blood pressure drugs, even if they have normal blood pressure levels.

Other experts agreed the results are intriguing but said that more research needs to be done to determine the age groups most likely to benefit from drug treatment.