Effect of Antihypertensive Treatment on Stroke Recurrence

Abstract

Four hundred fifty-two stroke survivors with recumbent blood pressures ranging from 140 to 220 mm Hg systolic and 90 to 115 mm Hg diastolic (average, 167/100 mm Hg) were followed up for a mean period of three years; half the patients received an antihypertensive drug and half received placebo. The hypothesis that antihypertensive therapy for hypertensive stroke survivors would alter the stroke recurrence rate was not statistically supported by the data. No statistically significant reduction occurred in the number of endpoints due to cardiovascular disease except for congestive heart failure, in which the drug-treated group exhibited a statistically significant reduction. (JAMA229:409-418, 1974)