Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 26, 2025

Technical Refinement of a Bilateral Renal Ischemia-Reperfusion Mouse Model for Acute Kidney Injury Research
Published on: November 3, 2023
Higher versus lower blood pressure targets after cardiac arrest: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
Huzaifa Ahmad Cheema1, Arman Shafiee2, Mohammad Mobin Teymouri Athar3
1Department of Cardiology, King Edward Medical University, Lahore, Pakistan.
Insights
This meta-analysis found no significant difference in mortality for higher versus lower blood pressure targets in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients. Further large-scale trials are needed to confirm these findings on blood pressure management.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Critical Care Medicine
- Emergency Medicine
Background:
- Blood pressure management is crucial for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) survivors.
- Previous studies on optimal blood pressure targets have yielded inconclusive results.
- Limited data from underpowered randomized controlled trials (RCTs) exist.
Conclusions:
- Current evidence does not support the routine use of higher blood pressure targets in post-OHCA patients.
- Findings suggest that current blood pressure targets do not significantly impact major outcomes.
- Larger, well-designed RCTs with homogenous blood pressure goals are necessary for definitive conclusions.
Abstract:
A few mostly underpowered randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have been used to study the impact of blood pressure (BP) targets in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) patients. We aimed to perform an updated meta-analysis to compare the outcomes between the higher BP target and the lower BP target groups following OHCA. A systematic search was conducted on PubMed, Embase and the Cochrane Library until December 2022. We pooled odds ratios (ORs) and mean differences (MDs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) using RevMan 5.4. Our search yielded four RCTs with a total of 1114 patients. Regarding our primary outcome of all-cause mortality, there was no significant difference between higher versus lower BP target goals in post-OHCA patients (OR 1.12, 95% CI: 0.86 to 1.45). Furthermore, there were no significant differences between the two groups in good neurological outcome, the incidence of arrhythmia, need for renal replacement therapy, and the levels of neuron-specific enolase at 48 h. The length of ICU stay of patients treated with the higher BP target was significantly lower but by a small margin. These findings do not support the use of a higher BP target but are subject to confirmation by large-scale RCTs investigating homogenous BP goals.
Related Concept Videos
Blood Pressure
Hypertension and Regulation of Blood Pressure
Special considerations while measuring blood pressure
Monitoring Both Arms:
Monitoring BP in both arms during the initial assessment is advisable, as the systolic value may differ by five to ten mm Hg between arms. For subsequent BP assessments, use the arm with the higher reading.
Hypertension V: Nursing Management
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation IV: Pharmacological Management
Hypertension IV: Drug Therapy and Lifestyle Modifications

