Treatment of mild hypertension: results of a ten-year intervention trial

Three hundred and eighty-nine subjects, ages 21-55, with diastolic blood pressures between 90 and 115 mm Hg were studied prospectively for 7-10 years in a controlled intervention trial to determine whether pressure lowering reduces the incidence of cardiovascular complications and death. The assignment to therapy, either a combination of a diuretic and rauwolfia serpentina, or an identical placebo, was random. Adverse effects required termination in only 23 (5.9%) cases. Diastolic blood pressure (DBP) was reduced an average of 10 mm Hg (systolic equals 16 mm Hg) in the active treatment group with no change in the placebo group. The major end points of death, myocardial infarction, and stroke totaled 17 and were nearly equally divided between treatment and placebo. Other manifestations of coronary disease were also equally distributed. Complications such as electrocardiographic hypervoltage, left ventricular hypertrophy, radiogrpahic cardiomegaly, and retinopathy occurred in the placebo group at a rate of 53.1 per 100 subjects compared to 23.8 per 100 in those on active drugs. Treatment failure occurred in 24 placebo-treated cases and none of the active group. The overall effectiveness of pressure lowering in reducing these complications and treatment failure was 60%. It is concluded that given the lower level of excess risk in mild uncomplicated hypertension, and the failure of active drug therapy to protect against coronary disease, systematic follow-up without drugs while attempting hygienic intervention and control of other risk factors may be a reasonable alternative for this large group.