However , the 95 % confidence intervals of these outcomes suggest the lower BP target is probably not worse , and might offer a clinical ly important benefit .
AUTHORS ' CONCLUSIONS At the present time there is insufficient evidence to know whether a higher BP target ( less than150 to 160/95 to 105 mmHg ) or a lower BP target ( less than 140/90 mmHg ) is better for older adults with high BP .
BACKGROUND Eight out of 10 major antihypertensive trials in older adults attempted to achieve a target systolic blood pressure ( BP ) less than 160 mmHg .
Collectively these trials demonstrated benefit for treatment , as compared to no treatment , for an older adult with BP greater than 160 mmHg .
However an even lower BP target of less than 140 mmHg is commonly applied to all age groups .
At the present time it is not known whether a lower or higher BP target is associated with better cardiovascular outcomes in older adults .
OBJECTIVES To assess the effects of a higher ( less than 150 to 160/95 to 105 mmHg ) BP target compared to the lower BP target of less than 140/90 mmHg in hypertensive adults 65 years of age or older .
A Randomized Trial of Intensive versus Standard Blood-Pressure Control.
BACKGROUND The most appropriate targets for systolic blood pressure to reduce cardiovascular morbidity and mortality among persons without diabetes remain uncertain . METHODS We r and omly assigned 9361 persons with a systolic blood pressure of 130 mm Hg or higher and an increased cardiovascular risk , but without diabetes , to a systolic blood-pressure target of less than 120 mm Hg ( intensive treatment ) or a target of less than 140 mm Hg ( st and ard treatment ) . The primary composite outcome was myocardial infa rct ion , other acute coronary syndromes , stroke , heart failure , or death from cardiovascular causes . RESULTS At 1 year , the mean systolic blood pressure was 121.4 mm Hg in the intensive-treatment group and 136.2 mm Hg in the st and ard-treatment group . The intervention was stopped early after a median follow-up of 3.26 years owing to a significantly lower rate of the primary composite outcome in the intensive-treatment group than in the st and ard-treatment group ( 1.65 % per year vs. 2.19 % per year ; hazard ratio with intensive treatment , 0.75 ; 95 % confidence interval [ CI ] , 0.64 to 0.89 ; P<0.001 ) . All-cause mortality was also significantly lower in the intensive-treatment group ( hazard ratio , 0.73 ; 95 % CI , 0.60 to 0.90 ; P=0.003 ) . Rates of serious adverse events of hypotension , syncope , electrolyte abnormalities , and acute kidney injury or failure , but not of injurious falls , were higher in the intensive-treatment group than in the st and ard-treatment group . CONCLUSIONS Among patients at high risk for cardiovascular events but without diabetes , targeting a systolic blood pressure of less than 120 mm Hg , as compared with less than 140 mm Hg , result ed in lower rates of fatal and nonfatal major cardiovascular events and death from any cause , although significantly higher rates of some adverse events were observed in the intensive-treatment group . ( Funded by the National Institutes of Health ; Clinical Trials.gov number , NCT01206062 . )
However , the 95 % confidence intervals of these outcomes suggest the lower BP target is probably not worse , and might offer a clinical ly important benefit .
AUTHORS ' CONCLUSIONS At the present time there is insufficient evidence to know whether a higher BP target ( less than150 to 160/95 to 105 mmHg ) or a lower BP target ( less than 140/90 mmHg ) is better for older adults with high BP .
BACKGROUND Eight out of 10 major antihypertensive trials in older adults attempted to achieve a target systolic blood pressure ( BP ) less than 160 mmHg .
Collectively these trials demonstrated benefit for treatment , as compared to no treatment , for an older adult with BP greater than 160 mmHg .
However an even lower BP target of less than 140 mmHg is commonly applied to all age groups .
At the present time it is not known whether a lower or higher BP target is associated with better cardiovascular outcomes in older adults .
OBJECTIVES To assess the effects of a higher ( less than 150 to 160/95 to 105 mmHg ) BP target compared to the lower BP target of less than 140/90 mmHg in hypertensive adults 65 years of age or older .