It is well established by a large number of randomized controlled trials that lowering blood pressure (BP) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) by drugs are powerful means to reduce stroke ...incidence, but the optimal BP and LDL-C levels to be achieved are largely uncertain. Concerning BP targets, two hypotheses are being confronted: first, the lower the BP, the better the treatment outcome, and second, the hypothesis that too low BP values are accompanied by a lower benefit and even higher risk. It is also unknown whether BP lowering and LDL-C lowering have additive beneficial effects for the primary and secondary prevention of stroke, and whether these treatments can prevent cognitive decline after stroke.
A review of existing data from randomized controlled trials confirms that solid evidence on optimal BP and LDL-C targets is missing, possible interactions between BP and LDL-C lowering treatments have never been directly investigated, and evidence in favour of a beneficial effect of BP or LDL-C lowering on cognitive decline is, at best, very weak.
A new, large randomized controlled trial is needed to determine the optimal level of BP and LDL-C for the prevention of recurrent stroke and cognitive decline.
Hypertension (HTN) is a common cardiovascular risk factor leading to heart failure (HF), coronary artery disease (CAD), stroke, peripheral artery disease and chronic renal failure. Hypertensive heart ...disease can manifest as many types of cardiac arrhythmias, most commonly being atrial fibrillation (AF). Both supraventricular and ventricular arrhythmias may occur in HTN patients, especially in those with left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), CAD, or HF. In addition, high doses of thiazide diuretics commonly used to treat HTN, may result in electrolyte abnormalities (e.g. hypokalaemia, hypomagnesaemia), contributing further to arrhythmias, while effective blood pressure control may prevent the development of the arrhythmias such as AF. In recognizing this close relationship between HTN and arrhythmias, the European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA) and the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) Council on Hypertension convened a Task Force, with representation from the Heart Rhythm Society (HRS), Asia-Pacific Heart Rhythm Society (APHRS), and Sociedad Latinoamericana de Estimulación Cardíaca y Electrofisiología (SOLEACE), with the remit of comprehensively reviewing the available evidence and publishing a joint consensus document on HTN and cardiac arrhythmias, and providing up-to-date consensus recommendations for use in clinical practice. The ultimate judgment on the care of a specific patient must be made by the healthcare provider and the patient in light of all individual factors presented. This is an executive summary of the full document co-published by EHRA in EP-Europace.
The Supporting Hypertension Awareness and Research Europe-wide (SHARE) survey aimed to qualify the key challenges that physicians face when trying to get patients to recommended blood pressure (BP) ...goals.
The survey was open to physicians involved in the treatment of hypertension, was anonymous, and included 45 questions covering: physicians' demographic information, familiarity with BP treatment guidelines, views on the BP targets recommended by the 2007 European Society of Hypertension and European Society of Cardiology (ESH-ESC) guidelines, and perceptions on the proportion of 'challenging patients' in hypertension management (defined as patients not achieving the BP goal, where the BP goal is at least <140/90 mm Hg, and <130/80 mm Hg for patients with co-morbidities or high CV risk). Physicians significantly underestimated the proportions of their 'challenging patients' with hypertension compared with their perceptions of the proportions achieving 2007 ESH-ESC BP targets (p < 0.0001). The majority of cardiologists (75.5%) and general/family practitioners (GPs) (81.3%) as well as internists (59.3%) (p < 0.05 for cardiologists and GPs vs internists) felt that it was a challenge to get their patients to target BP, stating that only 43.2%, 57.4% and 38.2% of their patients, respectively, achieved these targets in practice (p < 0.05 for GPs vs cardiologists and internists).
Physicians may underestimate the proportion of 'challenging patients' with hypertension and there is a need to improve their BP control. Increasing physicians' awareness about the risks of uncontrolled BP and improving compliance are two possible ways to improve management of hypertension.
Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is a structural remodeling of the heart developing as a response to volume and/or pressure overload. Previous studies have shown that hypertension is not an ...independent factor in the development of LVH and occurrence does not depend on the length and severity of hypertension, but the role played by other comorbidities such as triglycerides, age, gender, genetics, insulin resistance, obesity, physical inactivity, increased salt intake and chronic stress. LVH develops through three phases: adaptive, compensatory, and pathological phase. Contractile dysfunction is reversible in the first two phases and irreversible in the third. According to the Framingham study, LVH develops in 15-20% of patients with mild arterial hypertension, and in 50% of patients with severe hypertension. The pathophysiology of LVH includes hypertrophy of cardiomyocytes, interstitial and perivascular fibrosis, coronary microangiopathy and macroangiopathy. Individuals with LVH have 2-4 times higher risk of having adverse CV events compared to patients without LVH.
The INternational VErapamil SR-Trandolapril study (INVEST) had 6400 of 22,576 (28.3%) participants with diabetes at entry. The objectives of this prespecified analysis were to compare ...antihypertensive treatment strategies in the diabetes cohort (verapamil SR-based n=3169 versus atenolol-based n=3231) and identify predictors for the primary outcome (a composite of first occurrence of all-cause death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, or nonfatal stroke). During a mean follow-up of 2.7 years, 913 participants with diabetes experienced a primary outcome event, with no significant difference between treatment strategies (14.6%, verapamil SR versus 13.9%; atenolol hazard ratio, 1.05; 95% confidence interval, 0.92 to 1.19). Risk for the primary outcome increased with presence of baseline heart failure, renal impairment, US residency, age, previous stroke/transient ischemic attack, previous myocardial infarction, peripheral vascular disease, or smoking. High systolic and diastolic pressures during follow-up also were associated with increased risk, as were low diastolic pressures. Antihypertensive treatment with a verapamil SR or atenolol strategy resulted in similar rates of cardiovascular outcomes in coronary artery disease (CAD) patients with diabetes. Thus, a verapamil SR-based antihypertensive treatment strategy is an alternative to a beta-blocker-based strategy in adults with CAD and diabetes.
Hypertension is the most important risk factor, responsible for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality worldwide, both in men and women. Cardiovascular disorders in women are still underestimated, ...due to lower absolute risk calculations and the underdetection of classical risk factors. In recent years the differences in pathophysiology and the clinical presentation and treatment of cardiac diseases in women have become fields of interest and research. Several studies have examined gender-related differences in the pathophysiology of hypertension, its prevalence and control. The influence of menopause, obesity and salt-sensitivity on the pathogenesis of hypertension in women has been widely investigated. This article presents current data on differences in prevalence, control and mechanisms of hypertension in women.
Knowledge of predictors of diabetes mellitus (DM) development in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) who use antihypertensive therapy could contribute to decreasing this adverse metabolic ...consequence. This is particularly relevant because the standard of care, β blockers combined with diuretics, may contribute to adverse metabolic risk. The INternational VErapamil SR-trandolapril STudy compared a calcium antagonist-based (verapamil SR) and a β-blocker–based (atenolol) strategy with trandolapril and/or hydrochlorothiazide added to control blood pressure (BP) in patients with CAD. The 16,176 patients without DM at entry were investigated with regard to newly diagnosed DM during follow-up. Newly diagnosed DM was less frequent in the verapamil SR versus atenolol strategy (7.0% vs 8.2%, hazard ratio 0.85, 95% confidence interval 0.76 to 0.95, p <0.01). Characteristics associated with risk for newly diagnosed DM included United States residence, left ventricular hypertrophy, previous stroke/transient ischemic attack, Hispanic ethnicity, coronary revascularization, hypercholesterolemia, greater body mass index, and higher follow-up systolic BP. Addition of trandolapril to verapamil SR decreased DM risk and addition of hydrochlorothiazide to atenolol increased risk. In conclusion, clinical findings associated with more severe vascular disease and Hispanic ethnicity identify a group at high risk for developing DM, whereas lower on-treatment BP and treatment with verapamil SR-trandolapril attenuated this risk.
Abstract
Objective:
To compare the reduction in calculated Framingham 10 year coronary heart disease (CHD) risk after 52 weeks' intervention with a proactive multifactorial intervention (PMI) ...strategy (based on single-pill amlodipine/atorvastatin SPAA) versus continuing usual care (UC) (based on investigators' best clinical judgment) among younger (<65 years) and older ( 65 years) patients.
Research design and methods:
Sub-analysis of the Cluster Randomized Usual Care versus Caduet Investigation Assessing Long-term risk (CRUCIAL) trial. Eligible patients had hypertension and 3 cardiovascular risk factors.
Main outcome measure:
Treatment-related reduction in calculated Framingham 10 year CHD risk between baseline and Week 52 in younger and older patients.
Results:
Nine hundred patients (63.5%) were <65 years (mean age 54.2 years, 57.4% men) and 517 patients (36.5%) were 65 years (mean age 70.5 years, 42.7% men). Younger patients had lower mean baseline CHD risk versus older patients (17.1% vs. 22.6%). A greater reduction in calculated CHD risk at Week 52 was observed in the PMI versus the UC arm in both younger (−33.2% vs. −2.9%, p < 0.001) and older (−32.7% vs. −5.7%, p < 0.001) patients. Least-squares mean treatment differences (PMI vs. UC) in percentage change from baseline in calculated CHD risk were similar in younger and older patients (−26.3% vs. −25.7%, age interaction p = 0.887). CHD risk reduction was slightly greater among younger men than younger women (−29.3 vs. −23.9, gender interaction p = 0.062). A low proportion of patients discontinued the PMI strategy due to adverse events in both age groups (5.8% vs. 6.1%, respectively). Study limitations included ad-hoc (not pre-specified) sub-group analysis and short duration of follow-up.
Conclusions:
The PMI strategy based on the inclusion of SPAA in the treatment regimen is more effective than UC in reducing calculated CHD risk. This strategy may be considered as the treatment of choice in younger and older hypertensive patients with additional cardiovascular risk factors.
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