Effect of intensive blood pressure control in patients with resistant hypertension: insights from the STEP trial

Resistant hypertension is defined as uncontrolled blood pressure (BP) despite the use of ≥3 antihypertensive drugs or controlled BP with ≥4 antihypertensive drugs. Whether intensive BP control is beneficial for the management of resistant hypertension is unknown.

Intensive (<130 mmHg) BP control in patients is compared with standard (130-150 mmHg) BP control in patients with resistant hypertension, using the Strategy of Blood Pressure Intervention in Older Hypertensive Patients (STEP) trial data. Patients were divided into those with and without resistant hypertension. The primary outcome was a composite of cardiovascular events. Hazard ratios (HRs) were calculated using the Fine-Gray sub-distribution hazard model for primary and secondary events and the Cox regression model for all-cause death. In patients with resistant hypertension, intensive BP control was associated with a lower risk of primary outcomes (HR, 0.36; 95% CI, 0.14-0.93; P = 0.035). Results were consistent across different BP thresholds used to define resistant hypertension and in patients with true resistant hypertension. The benefit of intensive BP control was consistent across resistant hypertension status. Intensive BP control was not associated with an increased risk of adverse events in patients with resistant hypertension. Patients with resistant hypertension had increased cardiovascular risk compared with those without (HR, 1.78; 95% CI, 1.13-2.81; P = 0.012).

Intensive BP control is associated with reduced risk of cardiovascular events in patients with resistant hypertension without increased risk of adverse events.

https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03015311.