Heterogeneity was present for several outcomes and was partly related to the class of antihypertensive drugs used ; angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and diuretics separately , and especially together , reduced vascular events , while beta-receptor antagonists had no discernable effect .
Evidence from r and omized controlled trials supports the use of antihypertensive agents in lowering blood pressure for the prevention of vascular events in patients with previous stroke or transient ischemic attack .
Vascular prevention is associated positively with the magnitude by which blood pressure is reduced
BACKGROUND High blood pressure is a risk factor for stroke recurrence .
We assessed the effectiveness of lowering blood pressure in preventing recurrent vascular events in patients with previous stroke or transient ischemic attack .
Beta-adrenergic blockade after stroke. A preliminary closed cohort study.
To collect background data for a prospect i ve clinical trial of beta-blocking agents in the prevention of deaths after stroke , the long-term prognosis in 60 patients discharged from a stroke unit on beta-blocker therapy  was compared with the outcome in 60 matched patients with stroke but without beta-blockers .  Matching included sex , age , type of stroke , and presence or absence of hypertension and cardiac failure . Thirteen patients ( 22 % ) in the beta-blocker group died during a median followup of 41 months . Of the 60 patients not on beta-blockade at discharge , 21 ( 35 % ) died during a median followup of 36 months . By life-table technique and log-rank test , the relative risk for death was 0.60:1.00 ( p = 0.14 ) . During followup , 12 recurrent strokes were observed in patients on beta-blockers and 19 in patients without beta-blockers ( relative risk 0.57:1.00 ; p = 0.12 ) . It appeared that the reduction in mortality could only marginally be ascribed to fewer deaths from myocardial infa rct ion ; other causes of death were also less frequent in beta-blocker-treated patients . The results emphasize that supplementary information on the effect of beta-blocking agents on mortality after stroke is needed before a larger trial of beta-blocker therapy in patients with manifest cerebrovascular disease can be initiated
Heterogeneity was present for several outcomes and was partly related to the class of antihypertensive drugs used ; angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and diuretics separately , and especially together , reduced vascular events , while beta-receptor antagonists had no discernable effect .
Evidence from r and omized controlled trials supports the use of antihypertensive agents in lowering blood pressure for the prevention of vascular events in patients with previous stroke or transient ischemic attack .
Vascular prevention is associated positively with the magnitude by which blood pressure is reduced
BACKGROUND High blood pressure is a risk factor for stroke recurrence .
We assessed the effectiveness of lowering blood pressure in preventing recurrent vascular events in patients with previous stroke or transient ischemic attack .