Results : BP and lipid levels tended to come together soon in the post-trial period .
Conclusion : Benefits of BPL and lipid lowering on all-cause and cardiovascular mortality were persistent , but attenuated , after discontinuation of r and omized treatment , indicating the importance of continuing therapy
Objective : Persistent long-term benefits after discontinuation of treatment have been suggested for blood pressure-lowering and lipid-lowering treatment .
We conducted a systematic review to assess the long-term effects of  blood pressure ( BP ) lowering ( BPL ) and lipid lowering on all-cause and cardiovascular mortality after discontinuation of r and omized treatment .
Long-term follow-up of moderately hypercholesterolemic hypertensive patients following randomization to pravastatin vs usual care: the Antihypertensive and Lipid-Lowering Treatment to Prevent Heart Attack Trial (ALLHAT-LLT).
The authors conducted a r and omized , controlled , multicenter trial , in which they assigned well-controlled hypertensive participants aged 55 years and older with moderate hypercholesterolemia to receive pravastatin ( n=5170 ) or usual care ( n=5185 ) for 4 to 8 years , when trial therapy was discontinued . Passive surveillance using national data bases to ascertain deaths and hospitalizations continued for a total follow-up of 8 to 13 years to assess whether mortality and morbidity differences persisted or new differences developed . During the post-trial period , fatal and nonfatal outcomes were available for 98 % and 64 % of participants , respectively . The primary outcome was all-cause mortality and the secondary outcomes included cardiovascular mortality , coronary heart disease ( CHD ) , stroke , heart failure , cardiovascular disease , and end-stage renal disease . No significant differences appeared in mortality for pravastatin vs usual care ( hazard ratio [ HR ] , 0.96 ; 95 % confidence interval [ CI ] , 0.89 - 1.03 ) or other secondary outcomes . Similar to the previously reported in-trial result , there was a significant treatment effect for CHD in black patients ( HR , 0.79 ; 95 % CI , 0.64 - 0.98 ) . However , the in-trial result showing a significant treatment by race effect did not remain significant during the entire follow-up ( P=.08 ) . These findings are consistent with evidence from other large trials that show statins prevent CHD and add evidence that they are effective for CHD prevention in black patients
Results : BP and lipid levels tended to come together soon in the post-trial period .
Conclusion : Benefits of BPL and lipid lowering on all-cause and cardiovascular mortality were persistent , but attenuated , after discontinuation of r and omized treatment , indicating the importance of continuing therapy
Objective : Persistent long-term benefits after discontinuation of treatment have been suggested for blood pressure-lowering and lipid-lowering treatment .
We conducted a systematic review to assess the long-term effects of  blood pressure ( BP ) lowering ( BPL ) and lipid lowering on all-cause and cardiovascular mortality after discontinuation of r and omized treatment .