[Treatment of arterial hypertension as prevention of ischemic stroke]

Arterial hypertension in line with atrial fibrillation, diabetes mellitus, smoking and alcohol abuse is an important modifying factor of stroke risk. If the diastolic arterial pressure increases by 5 mm the stroke risk increases by 30%. The cooperative study of prevention of arterial hypertension that had been conducted in our country 20 years ago ascertained correlation between arterial hypertension and stroke morbidity. Recently terminated multicenter studies showed the necessity to strengthen the arterial pressure control in order to decrease amount of cardiovascular complications and strokes, in particular the recommended blood pressure both for young and middle age groups as well as for patients with diabetes mellitus is 130/85 mm Hg. In elderly the recommended level is < or = 140/90 mm Hg. It is fairly achievable to conduct up-to-date medication and non medication hypotensive treatment. There is no data about what medications are preferable for secondary stroke prevention. To fill this gap PROGRESS study of perindiprol and MOSES study of eprosartan were designed.