In primary prevention , the association of BP-lowering treatment with major cardiovascular events was dependent on baseline systolic BP ( SBP ) .
Conclusions and Relevance Primary preventive BP lowering is associated with reduced risk for death and CVD if baseline SBP is 140 mm Hg or higher .
At lower BP levels , treatment is not associated with any benefit in primary prevention but might offer additional protection in patients with CHD
Importance High blood pressure ( BP ) is the most important risk factor for death and cardiovascular disease ( CVD ) worldwide .
The optimal cutoff for treatment of high BP is debated .
Objective To assess the association between BP lowering treatment and death and CVD at different BP levels .
Low-Dose Metoprolol CR/XL and Fluvastatin Slow Progression of Carotid Intima-Media Thickness: Main Results From the &bgr;-Blocker Cholesterol-Lowering Asymptomatic Plaque Study (BCAPS)
Background Statins reduce cardiovascular events and progression of carotid intima-media thickness ( IMT ) . & bgr;-Blockers are also known to reduce cardiovascular events , but less is known about their effects on carotid IMT . Methods and Results We conducted a r and omized , double-blind , placebo-controlled , single-center trial to compare the effects of low-dose metoprolol CR/XL ( 25 mg once daily ) and fluvastatin ( 40 mg once daily ) on the progression of carotid IMT during 36 months of treatment in 793 subjects who had carotid plaque but no symptoms of carotid artery disease . Changes in mean IMT in the common carotid artery and maximal IMT in the bulb were the main outcome variables . Death and cardiovascular events were monitored . Progression of IMTmax in the carotid bulb at both 18 and 36 months was reduced by metoprolol CR/XL ( −0.058 mm/y ; 95 % CI , −0.094 to −0.023;P = 0.004 ; and −0.023 mm/y ; 95 % CI , −0.044 to −0.003;P = 0.014 , respectively ) . Incidence of cardiovascular events tended to be lower in metoprolol CR/XL – treated patients ( 5 versus 13 patients , P = 0.055 ) . Rate of IMTmean progression in the common carotid at 36 months was reduced by fluvastatin ( −0.009 mm/y ; 95 % CI , −0.015 to −0.003;P = 0.002 ) . Women in the fluvastatin group had increased frequency of transiently high liver enzymes . Conclusions This is the first r and omized trial to show that a & bgr;-blocker can reduce the rate of progression of carotid IMT in clinical ly healthy , symptom-free subjects with carotid plaque . This suggests that & bgr;-blockers may have a favorable effect on atherosclerosis development
In primary prevention , the association of BP-lowering treatment with major cardiovascular events was dependent on baseline systolic BP ( SBP ) .
Conclusions and Relevance Primary preventive BP lowering is associated with reduced risk for death and CVD if baseline SBP is 140 mm Hg or higher .
At lower BP levels , treatment is not associated with any benefit in primary prevention but might offer additional protection in patients with CHD
Importance High blood pressure ( BP ) is the most important risk factor for death and cardiovascular disease ( CVD ) worldwide .
The optimal cutoff for treatment of high BP is debated .
Objective To assess the association between BP lowering treatment and death and CVD at different BP levels .