Related Experiment Videos
Control of moderately raised blood pressure. Report of a co-operative randomized controlled trial
Insights
Lowering moderately high diastolic blood pressure (100-120 mm Hg) to below 100 mm Hg was achievable without significant side effects. However, this intervention did not demonstrate a reduction in morbidity or mortality events.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Medicine
- Clinical Hypertension Research
Background:
- Minimally elevated diastolic blood pressure (100-120 mm Hg) is common in adults aged 45-69.
- The clinical significance and optimal management of this blood pressure range require further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the impact of lowering diastolic blood pressure from 100-120 mm Hg to below 100 mm Hg on morbidity and mortality.
- To evaluate the feasibility and safety of pharmacological intervention for this blood pressure range.
Main Methods:
- A matched-pair study involving 58 patients with diastolic blood pressure between 100-120 mm Hg and 58 controls.
- Intervention focused on maintaining diastolic blood pressure below 100 mm Hg.
Main Results:
- Successful maintenance of diastolic blood pressure below 100 mm Hg was achieved without serious adverse drug effects.
- No significant effect on other terminating events (morbidity/mortality) was observed.
- Management of patients with minimally raised blood pressure was generally uncomplicated, with most being asymptomatic.
Conclusions:
- Pharmacological lowering of diastolic blood pressure from 100-120 mm Hg to below 100 mm Hg is feasible and safe.
- This intervention did not yield significant benefits regarding morbidity or mortality in the studied population.
- Further research may be needed to clarify the long-term implications and optimal management strategies for this patient group.
Abstract:
A study was designed to investigate the effect on morbidity and mortality of lowering diastolic blood pressure levels of between 100 and 120 mm Hg to below 100 mm Hg. Fifty-eight men and women, aged from 45-69 years, with blood pressure levels between 100 and 120 mm Hg were matched for age, sex, and blood pressure levels with 58 control patients. The maintenance of diastolic blood pressures at levels below 100 mm Hg was successfully carried out without serious drug side effects. Treatment effectively maintained diastolic pressures below 100 mm Hg, but no effect was shown on other terminating events. Few problems were found in the management of patients with minimally raised blood pressure, most of whom were symptom-free. The treatment and control groups became less comparable as increasing numbers of patients in the control group were withdrawn from the trial as diastolic pressures rose above 130 mm Hg.