Study suggests upper limit of systolic blood pressure too high

CHICAGO - A recent study found that lowering one type of blood pressure to well below the commonly recommended level also greatly lowered the number of cardiovascular events and deaths among people at least 50 years old with high blood pressure.

 

“When the amount or type of blood pressure medication was adjusted to achieve a systolic blood pressure target of 120 mmHg compared to the higher target of 140 mmHg, cardiovascular events such as heart attack, stroke and heart failure were reduced by almost one-third, and the risk of death by almost one-fourth," stated Lynne Braun, a nurse practitioner in the Rush Heart Center for Women. “That’s important information, because more lives may be saved and more deaths may be prevented if we maintain lower blood pressure in our patients.”

 

Approximately one out of every three adults in the U.S. has high blood pressure and is subsequently at greater risk of heart disease, stroke, kidney failure and other health problems. 

 

“Another thing that was important to note in this study was that it examined a very diverse population. It seems to apply across the board,” Braun said, who was not involved in the study.

 

The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, which sponsored the study, announced some preliminary results on Sept. 11. The findings of the Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial, or SPRINT, were so definitive that it was stopped earlier than planned in order to share the results quickly.