[Antihypertensive therapy of patients with cerebrovascular disease]

In the acute phase of the stroke, it must be prudent to reduce blood pressure (BP) because the rapid reduction might cause the exacerbation of the perfusion pressure to the brain. The target BP level should be higher than the level of primary prevention as the blood pressure regulatory function is disturbed in acute phase. In chronic phase, BP should be reduced so slowly through the several months so as not to cause the ischemia of the brain by rapid reduction of BP. However, the optimal target BP level should be the same degree as the primary prevention level as far as the speed of reduction is taken into consideration. The several large scale trials, are now in progress to determine the optimal BP level for the secondary prevention in the patients with prion stroke.