Antihypertensive treatment and US trends in stroke mortality, 1962 to 1980.
OBJECTIVE
This study examines the association between increases in antihypertensive pharmacotherapy and declines in stroke mortality among 96 US groups stratified by race, sex, age, metropolitan status, and region from 1962 to 1980.


METHODS
Data on the prevalence of controlled hypertension and socioeconomic profiles were obtained from three successive national health surveys. Stroke mortality rates were calculated using data from the National Center for Health Statistics and the Bureau of the Census. The association between controlled hypertension trends and stroke mortality declines was assessed with weighted regression.


RESULTS
Prior to 1972, there was no association between trends in controlled hypertension and stroke mortality declines (beta = 0.04, P = .69). After 1972, groups with larger increases in controlled hypertension experienced slower rates of decline in stroke mortality (beta = 0.16, P = .003). Faster rates of decline were modestly but consistently related to improvements in socioeconomic indicators only for the post-1972 period.


CONCLUSIONS
These results do not support the hypothesis that increased antihypertensive pharmacotherapy has been the primary determinant of recent declines in stroke mortality. Additional studies should address the association between declining stroke mortality and trends in socioeconomic resources, dietary patterns, and cigarette smoking.
Casper
M
M
Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina's School of Public Health, Chapel Hill.
Wing
S
S
Strogatz
D
D
Davis
C E
CE
Tyroler
H A
HA
D001741:Black or African American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000368:Aged; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015984:Causality; D002561:Cerebrovascular Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality*; D015986:Confounding Factors, Epidemiologic; D004363:Drug Utilization / Q000639:trends; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D007182:Income; D008019:Life Style; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009309:National Center for Health Statistics, U.S.; D009790:Occupations; D011159:Population Surveillance; D015995:Prevalence; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000453:epidemiology; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
D000959:Antihypertensive Agents