Over the past years, the use of antihypertensive medications in patients with a history of CVD or diabetes and without hypertension has been questioned. Well, it now seems that the treatment option is quiet beneficial. According to a recent study, patients with a history of cardiovascular disease, but not hypertension, using antihypertensive drugs have lower chances of stroke, congestive heart failure and death from all causes.
As a part of the investigation, authors initiated a meta-analysis to shed light on the possible link between antihypertensive treatment and secondary prevention of CVD events. Around 25 trials were examined which engulfed data from 64,162 participants without hypertension, of whom 76 percent were men. It was pointed out that antihypertensive medications may result in a 23 percent reduction in risk of stroke.
Scientists quote, “Our results show that persons with a history of CVD but with blood pressures in the normal and prehypertensive ranges can obtain significant benefit from antihypertensive treatments. Prehypertension affects nearly 30 percent of the adult population and carries an elevated risk for CVD incidence and mortality. To our knowledge, this meta-analysis is the first to examine the association between antihypertensive medications and CVD morbidity and mortality as well as all-cause mortality in individuals without hypertension. Among patients with clinical history of CVD but without hypertension, antihypertensive treatment was associated with decreased risk of stroke, CHF, composite CVD events, and all-cause mortality. Additional randomized trial data are necessary to assess these outcomes in patients without CVD clinical recommendations.”
Also the threat of congestive heart failure (CHF) events was minimized by 29 percent among patients receiving antihypertensive medications. Angela M. Thompson, M.S.P.H., of the Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, and colleagues found a 15 percent decrease in the risk of composite CVD events and a 13 percent reduction in risk for all-cause mortality. The study findings apparently have major implications in the health-space.
The study is published in the March 2 issue of JAMA.