Author Interviews, Blood Pressure - Hypertension, NEJM / 23.08.2017
Targeting a Lower Systolic Blood Pressure Likely To Be Well Tolerated, Even In Elderly
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Dan Berlowitz, MD, MPH
Investigator, CHOIR
Chief of Staff, Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial VA Hospital
Professor, Boston University Schools of Public Health and Medicine
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?
Response: The main results from the SPRINT study, published in 2015, demonstrated that intensive hypertension therapy targeting a systolic blood pressure (SBP) of 120 mm Hg results in reduced cardiovascular morbidity and mortality when compared to standard therapy targeting a SBP of 140. Yet many have expressed concerns that lowering SBP to 120 may be associated with a variety of symptoms, including dizziness, fatigue, and depression, especially in older and frailer patients.
This study using SPRINT data examined patient-reported outcomes including health-related quality of life, depressive symptoms, and satisfaction.
The main findings are that there were no differences in patient-reported outcomes among patients receiving intensive therapy compared to standard therapy, even among older SPRINT participants with multiple comorbidities.
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