18 May Ideal Blood Pressure After Stroke Differs For Blacks, Whites

MedicalResearch.com Interview with:

Dr. Azizi Seixas

Azizi Seixas, Ph.D.
Fellow
NYU Langone School of Medicine
Department of Population Health
Center for Healthful Behavior Change
 

MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?

Dr. Seixas: Twenty-five percent of strokes in the US are attributed to high blood pressure. Studies indicate that lowering blood pressure after a stroke significantly reduces risk of recurrent stroke by almost 50%. However, recent evidence suggests that lowering blood pressure did not lower risk of recurrent stroke or mortality. In fact, epidemiological evidence indicates that low to normal blood pressure (120-140mmHg) had the highest cumulative all-cause mortality compared to high (140-149mmHg) and very high (>=150 mmHg) blood pressure. However, these studies did not look at this relationship among blacks/African Americans, non-White Hispanics and non-Hispanic Whites.

Please see link for more background information as reported recently by the AHA.

http://news.heart.org/high-blood-pressure-causing-deaths-despite-drop-heart-disease-stroke-deaths/

MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings?

Dr. Seixas: We found that black stroke survivors who have a post-stoke blood pressure in the low-normal range <140 mmHg were 46% more likely to die compared to those who had a blood pressure in the range of 140-149mmHg, over a five year period. Non-Hispanic Whites stroke survivors with a very high post-stroke blood pressure (>= 150mmHg) had a 79% greater odds of dying over a five year period.

MedicalResearch.com: What should readers take away from your report?

Dr. Seixas: Black stroke survivors with low-normal blood pressure and white stroke survivors with very high blood pressure are at increased all-cause mortality risk. Our findings with blacks suggest there may be another factor[s] responsible for mortality.

MedicalResearch.com: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this study?

Dr. Seixas: Future research should investigate which factors might be interacting with low-average blood pressure to increase mortality risk.

MedicalResearch.com: Is there anything else you would like to add?

Dr. Seixas: Our findings do not suggest that blood pressure is the cause of mortality but instead indicates that it plays a very important role in mortality in stroke survivors.

MedicalResearch.com: Thank you for your contribution to the MedicalResearch.com community.

Citation: Abstract presented at the 2016 American Society of Hypertension

Racial/ethnic differences in post-stroke blood pressure trajectory and mortality risk

Note: Content is Not intended as medical advice. Please consult your health care provider regarding your specific medical condition and questions.

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Last Updated on May 18, 2016 by Marie Benz MD FAAD