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Antihypertensive treatment and stroke prevention: from recent meta-analyses to the PRoFESS trial

Guido Grassi1, Fosca Quarti-Trevano, Raffaella Dell'oro

  • 1Clinica Medica, Ospedale San Gerardo, Via Pergolesi 33, 20052 Monza (Milan), Italy. guido.grassi@unimib.it

Current Hypertension Reports
|July 16, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Effective blood pressure control is crucial for stroke prevention. Drugs targeting the renin-angiotensin system may offer additional cerebrovascular protection beyond lowering blood pressure.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular Medicine
  • Neurology
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Blood pressure control is essential for preventing initial and recurrent strokes.
  • Various antihypertensive drug classes can help prevent cerebrovascular events.
  • Emerging evidence suggests specific benefits from renin-angiotensin system inhibitors.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the cerebrovascular protection offered by antihypertensive treatments.
  • To analyze findings from recent meta-analyses and the PRoFESS trial.

Main Methods:

  • Review of recent meta-analyses on antihypertensive drug efficacy for stroke prevention.
  • Analysis of data from the Prevention Regimen for Effectively Avoiding Second Strokes (PRoFESS) trial.

Main Results:

  • All antihypertensive drug classes contribute to stroke prevention through blood pressure reduction.
  • Drugs targeting the renin-angiotensin system (ACE inhibitors, ARBs) may provide additional cerebrovascular benefits.
  • The PRoFESS trial and meta-analyses support the role of antihypertensives in cerebrovascular protection.

Conclusions:

  • Optimizing blood pressure control is paramount for stroke prevention.
  • Renin-angiotensin system inhibitors show promise for enhanced cerebrovascular protection.
  • Antihypertensive therapy remains a cornerstone in managing cerebrovascular risk.

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