Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 17, 2026

A Clinical Trial Assessing the Safety, Efficacy, and Delivery of Olive-Oil-Based Three-Chamber Bags for Parenteral Nutrition
04:53

A Clinical Trial Assessing the Safety, Efficacy, and Delivery of Olive-Oil-Based Three-Chamber Bags for Parenteral Nutrition

Published on: September 20, 2019

The hidden truth: what do the clinical trials really tell us about BP control?

L M Ruilope1

  • 1Unidad de Hipertensión, Hospital 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Spain.

Journal of Human Hypertension
|July 1, 1995
PubMed

Insights

Effective blood pressure (BP) control significantly reduces risks of stroke, heart disease, and premature death. Intensified antihypertensive therapy can achieve target BP levels in most patients, potentially lowering cardiovascular risks further.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Hypertension Research
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Observational studies link elevated blood pressure (BP) directly to increased risks of stroke, coronary heart disease, and premature death.
  • Despite a doubling in hypertension treatment over 20 years, premature morbidity and mortality remain elevated compared to normotensive populations.
  • Inadequate BP control in treated patients may explain persistent high cardiovascular risks.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the impact of effective blood pressure control on cardiovascular outcomes.
  • To investigate the feasibility and safety of intensifying antihypertensive therapy for optimal BP reduction.
  • To determine the ideal BP target for minimizing cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of prospective observational studies correlating BP with cardiovascular events.
  • Review of prospective, randomized intervention studies assessing the efficacy of BP control.
  • Examination of data from large studies on intensified antihypertensive therapy and diastolic BP (DBP) reduction.
  • Ongoing investigation within the Hypertension Optimal Treatment (HOT) Study.

Main Results:

  • Clear evidence shows direct relationships between BP levels and risks of stroke, heart disease, and death.
  • Effective BP control demonstrably reduces these cardiovascular risks.
  • Intensified antihypertensive therapy can lower DBP to < 90 mmHg in nearly all patients.
  • Preliminary data suggest intensified therapy is achievable without increased side-effects.

Conclusions:

  • Effective blood pressure management is crucial for reducing cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.
  • Intensifying antihypertensive therapy offers a promising strategy for achieving target BP levels and further risk reduction.
  • Further research, including the HOT Study, is essential to define optimal BP targets for cardiovascular health.

More Related Videos

Improved Renal Denervation Mitigated Hypertension Induced by Angiotensin II Infusion08:35

Improved Renal Denervation Mitigated Hypertension Induced by Angiotensin II Infusion

Published on: May 26, 2022

Improved Home Blood Pressure Control by CT-guided Ozone-mediated Renal Denervation for Patients with Resistant Hypertension04:37

Improved Home Blood Pressure Control by CT-guided Ozone-mediated Renal Denervation for Patients with Resistant Hypertension

Published on: June 6, 2025

Related Concept Videos

Blood Pressure01:30

Blood Pressure

Blood pressure (BP) is the pressure or force of blood exerted on the artery's walls as it circulates through the body. It is essential for maintaining blood flow throughout the body.
The average BP in an adult is typically around 120/80 mmHg (millimeters of mercury). In this measurement, the numerator (120) indicates the systolic pressure, which is the pressure in the arteries during the contraction of the heart's ventricles as blood is expelled. The denominator (80) represents the diastolic...
Clinical Trials01:16

Clinical Trials

Clinical trials are prospective experimental studies conducted on humans to determine the safety and efficacy of treatments, drugs, diet methods, and medical devices. Using statistics in clinical trials enables researchers to derive reasonable and accurate conclusions from the collected data, allowing them to make wise decisions in uncertain situations. In medical research, statistical methods are crucial for preventing errors and bias.
There are four phases in a clinical trial. A phase one...
Blinding01:11

Blinding

Blinding is a commonly used method of not telling participants which treatment a subject is receiving. Blinding is a critical part of a randomized control trial or RCT. It reduces the bias that affects the results. In an RCT, blinding is used in the form of a placebo. A placebo effect occurs when untreated subjects falsely believe they have received the treatment and report improved symptoms. A placebo or a dummy treatment is administered to subjects to negate the bias caused by such an effect.
Clinical Trials: Overview01:11

Clinical Trials: Overview

Clinical development focuses on how the drug will interact with the human body and encompasses four key phases of clinical trials, each serving a specific purpose in assessing the safety and effectiveness of new drugs. These phases overlap and build upon one another. Phase I involves a small group of healthy volunteers (typically 20-80 individuals) or, in cases where significant toxicity is expected, patients with the targeted disease, such as cancer or AIDS. The volunteers are tested for...
Blood Pressure01:24

Blood Pressure

The movement of blood in a human body, commonly referred to as blood flow, is determined by the volume of blood that traverses a certain section of the bodily system per unit time. It is the rhythmic contraction of the heart's ventricles that primarily instigates this movement. As the ventricles contract, blood is forced into the prominent arteries, which then flow from areas of greater pressure to lower pressure areas. This movement continues into smaller arteries and arterioles and...
Hypertension III: Clinical Manifestations and Diagnostic Studies01:30

Hypertension III: Clinical Manifestations and Diagnostic Studies

Hypertension is asymptomatic and also referred to as the "silent killer" until it progresses to a severe stage or causes target organ disease. Patients may experience symptoms stemming from the strain on blood vessels and tissues in various organs or the heart's increased workload.Physical exams might show no abnormalities other than high blood pressure. Signs of vascular damage, when present, correspond to the organs supplied by the affected vessels, leading to target organ damage. For...