Those in higher socio-economic brackets may respond better to blood pressure treatments than those in poorer levels, according to a new study from researchers at the School of Public Health at Imperial College London.

Researchers examined groups of older adults with high blood pressure from both the UK and the United States. They found that the reduction of high blood pressure was comparable for those age 65 or high in both countries, as people in that age group have access to universal health care in both countries.

They also found, however, that for those in lower economic classes in the US, health care was far less accessible and thus blood pressure treatments were less effective.

"Our finding of equitable care for hypertension in England is probably due to the strong primary care system and the negligible cost of care to patients in the NHS, features lacking in the US system," the researchers said.

"These findings show that for patients with high blood pressure, the English universal healthcare model provides a similar quality of care to the US market-based system, but does so much more equitably across the population."