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 .
Persistence of reduction in blood pressure and mortality of participants in the Hypertension Detection and Follow-up Program. Hypertension Detection and Follow-up Program Cooperative Group.
The Hypertension Detection and Follow-up Program ( HDFP ) previously described a significant reduction in five-year , all-cause mortality in its intensively treated stepped care ( SC ) group relative to its referred care ( RC ) control group . At the time this finding was described , a proportion of the SC cohort had been treated for periods as long as 6.7 years , but comparable RC and SC mortality data beyond five years were not available . These data , which are described herein , indicate that the 6.7-year life-table mortality rates were 95.1/1000 participants for SC vs 116.3/1000 participants for RC , a larger mortality difference than was observed at five years . This favorable finding for SC extended to all major subgroups , including white women and those aged 30 to 49 years at trial entry . Six months after the close of the treatment trial , a two-year posttrial surveillance study , which extended mortality follow-up to 8.3 years , was conducted . The posttrial use of antihypertensive medication declined in SC and increased in RC participants so that by the end of the posttrial period , there was little difference in the percentages of SC and RC participants taking medication . Control of blood pressure , indicated by mean diastolic blood pressure and by percent of participants with a pressure of 90 mm Hg or less , was slightly better for SC than for RC participants ( SC group , 86.5 mm Hg and 68 % controlled ; RC group , 87.8 mm Hg and 62 % controlled ) . The absolute mortality advantage found at 6.7 years persisted and increased throughout the posttrial period of follow-up despite discontinuation of the formal SC therapy program . It is postulated that regression of hypertensive end-organ changes brought about by the more effective SC treatment caused this favorable outcome
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 .