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 .
Usual versus tight control of systolic blood pressure in non-diabetic patients with hypertension (Cardio-Sis): an open-label randomised trial
BACKGROUND The level to which systolic blood pressure should be controlled in hypertensive patients without diabetes remains unknown . We tested the hypothesis that tight control compared with usual control of systolic blood pressure would be beneficial in such patients . METHODS In this r and omised open-label trial undertaken in 44 centres in Italy , 1111 non-diabetic patients with systolic blood pressure 150 mm Hg or greater were r and omly assigned to a target systolic blood pressure of less than 140 mm Hg ( usual control ; n=553 ) or less than 130 mm Hg ( tight control ; n=558 ) . After stratification by centre , we used a computerised r and om function to allocate patients to either group . Observers who were unaware of r and omisation read electrocardiograms and adjudicated events . Open-label agents were used to reach the r and omised targets . The primary endpoint was the rate of electrocardiographic left ventricular hypertrophy 2 years after r and omisation . Analysis was by intention to treat . This study is registered with Clinical Trials.gov , number NCT00421863 . RESULTS Over a median follow-up of 2.0 years ( IQR 1.93 - 2.03 ) , systolic and diastolic blood pressure were reduced by a mean of 23.5/8.9 mm Hg ( SD 10.6/7.0 ) in the usual-control group and by 27.3/10.4 mm Hg ( 11.0/7.5 ) in the tight-control group ( between-group difference 3.8 mm Hg systolic [ 95 % CI 2.4 - 5.2 ] , p<0.0001 ; and 1.5 mm Hg diastolic [ 0.6 - 2.4 ] ; p=0.041 ) . The primary endpoint occurred in 82 of 483 patients ( 17.0 % ) in the usual-control group and in 55 of 484 patients ( 11.4 % ) of the tight-control group ( odds ratio 0.63 ; 95 % CI 0.43 - 0.91 ; p=0.013 ) . A composite cardiovascular endpoint occurred in 52 ( 9.4 % ) patients in the usual-control group and in 27 ( 4.8 % ) in the tight-control group ( hazard ratio 0.50 , 95 % CI 0.31 - 0.79 ; p=0.003 ) . Side-effects were rare and did not differ significantly between the two groups . INTERPRETATION Our findings lend support to a lower blood pressure goal than is recommended at present in non-diabetic patients with hypertension . FUNDING Boehringer-Ingelheim , Sanofi-Aventis , Pfizer
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 .