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 .
Randomised trial of treatment of hypertension in elderly patients in primary care.
A r and omised trial of the treatment of hypertension in 884 patients aged 60 to 79 years at the onset showed a reduction of 18/11 mm Hg in blood pressure over a mean follow up period of 4.4 years . The principal antihypertensive agents were atenolol and bendrofluazide . There was a reduction in the rate of fatal stroke in the treatment group to 30 % of that in the control group ( 95 % confidence interval 11 - 84 % , p less than 0.025 ) . The rate of all strokes ( fatal and non-fatal ) in the treatment group was 58 % of that in the control group ( 95 % confidence interval 35 - 96 % , p less than 0.03 ) . The incidence of myocardial infa rct ion and total mortality was unaffected by treatment . Question naires completed by the patients and their relatives failed to identify any differences in symptoms that were likely to be due to treatment
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 .