[Blood pressure target in 2017]

The issue of how far blood pressure (BP) should be lowered under antihypertensive treatment is still an important matter of scientific debate. The aim of the present review is to consider the clinical relevance of individualized BP goal under treatment in hypertensive patients according to their age, comorbidities or established cardio-vascular (CV) disease.

The French and European recommendations propose a systolic BP target between 130 and 139mmHg (<150mmHg after 80 years) and diastolic BP target <90mmHg in hypertensive patients whatever their level of risk. The results of the recent SPRINT study suggest that a more ambitious systolic BP target, <120mmHg, significantly reduces CV morbidity and mortality, but with an increased iatrogenic risk. Several questions in everyday practice have to be considered. An important issue concerns BP measurement methods in this clinical trial (Dinamap) versus in routine clinical practice and the implications on BP treatment targets. In addition, close monitoring of participants in clinical trials and active orthostatic hypotension research limit the incidence of adverse events related to intensive treatement. Finally, in the presence of an established CV disease, an intensive therapeutic approach could be associated with a J-curve relationship between BP level and CV events.

An early and strict BP control in young or middle-aged hypertensive patients in primary prevention should be a priority. In this hypertensive population with low to moderate CV risk, without established CV or renal diseases, more stringent than recommended BP-lowering treatment could potentially prevent hypertensive arterial damage and thus correct the increased residual CV risk later in life. The tolerance of an intensive therapeutic approach should remain a concern in elderly patients and in patients with established CV disease.