Coronary Morbidity and Mortality, Pre-existing Silent Coronary Artery Disease, and Mild Hypertension
Authors: Brian F. O'Kelly
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (1989)

Perspective15 June 1989Coronary Morbidity and Mortality, Pre-existing Silent Coronary Artery Disease, and Mild HypertensionBrian F. O'Kelly, MB, Barry M. Massie, MD, Julio F. Tubau, MD, Jadwiga Szlachcic, MDBrian F. O'Kelly, MBSearch for more papers by this author, Barry M. Massie, MDSearch for more papers by this author, Julio F. Tubau, MDSearch for more papers by this author, Jadwiga Szlachcic, MDSearch for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-110-12-1017 SectionsAboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail ExcerptExperimental findings in animals and epidemiologic studies in humans provide strong evidence that hypertension promotes the onset and progression of atherosclerosis. However, effective antihypertensive therapy has not consistently reduced the incidence of cardiac events in the major trials of treatment for mild hypertension. In reviewing these trials and the recent data on the pathophysiologic interrelationships among hypertension, atherosclerosis, and myocardial ischemia, two factors stand out: First, the power of these trials to produce a positive result was limited because of their size, entry criteria, duration, and other considerations; second, autopsy and epidemiologic data suggest that some patients in these trials...References1. Hypertension prevalence and the status of awareness, treatment, and control in the United States. Final report of the Subcommittee on Definition and Prevalence of the 1984 Joint National Committee. Hypertension. 1985;7:457-68. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar2. WilkinsRobertsMoses RJC. Autopsy studies in atherosclerosis. III. Distribution and severity of atherosclerosis in the presence of obesity, hypertension, nephrosclerosis and rheumatic heart disease. Circulation. 1959;20:527-36. CrossrefGoogle Scholar3. Kannel W. 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