CONCLUSION Despite recent large trials showing no significant effect , in patients that have experienced a TIA or stroke , blood pressure lowering agents reduced the occurrence of subsequent stroke and cardiovascular events .
The rate of myocardial infa rct ion and all-cause mortality was unchanged
BACKGROUND While hypertension is a leading risk factor for an initial stroke , the role of blood pressure lowering to prevent subsequent stroke is less clear .
The results of recent large clinical trials investigating effects of antihypertensive agents in patients with a history of stroke have not shown a significant benefit ; findings that are at odds with previous data .
Our meta- analysis systematic ally evaluates the available , relevant trials to examine the role of antihypertensive drugs in preventing recurrent stroke .
Nicardipine in the prevention of cerebral infarction.
Two hundred and sixty-four patients were included in an open , r and omized , multicenter trial , with the aim of determining whether nicardipine can be useful in the prevention of  cerebral infa rct ion . The patients had experienced one or more transient ischemic attacks , reversible ischemic neurologic defect , or stroke with minor permanent neurological deficit in the 12 months before enrolling in the study . Each patient was r and omly assigned to received 250 mg of aspirin once daily plus 20 mg of nicardipine thrice daily ( n = 170 ) or 250 mg of aspirin once daily ( n = 94 ) for 12 months . During the 12-month treatment period , 12 % of the aspirin-plus-nicardipine group and 19 % of the aspirin-only group experienced an ischemic cerebrovascular event ; at six months , the cumulative incidence of events was significantly lower in the aspirin-plus-nicardipine group than in the aspirin-only group . One patient in each group died of a recurrent stroke .  Aspirin-related side effects were dyspepsia ( reported by four patients ) , heartburn ( by seven ) , nausea and vomiting ( by four ) , and melena ( by five ) ; nicardipine-related side effects were transient hypotension ( by two ) , headache ( by four ) , ankle edema ( by three ) , and constipation ( by four ) . Results indicate that the addition of nicardipine to antiplatelet treatment may safely prevent the recurrence of ischemic cerebrovascular events
CONCLUSION Despite recent large trials showing no significant effect , in patients that have experienced a TIA or stroke , blood pressure lowering agents reduced the occurrence of subsequent stroke and cardiovascular events .
The rate of myocardial infa rct ion and all-cause mortality was unchanged
BACKGROUND While hypertension is a leading risk factor for an initial stroke , the role of blood pressure lowering to prevent subsequent stroke is less clear .
The results of recent large clinical trials investigating effects of antihypertensive agents in patients with a history of stroke have not shown a significant benefit ; findings that are at odds with previous data .
Our meta- analysis systematic ally evaluates the available , relevant trials to examine the role of antihypertensive drugs in preventing recurrent stroke .