[Evidence of the therapeutic effect of antihypertensive therapy: meta-analysis and meta-regression of randomized and controlled trials].
BACKGROUND
Meta-analysis is one of the most useful methodologies in evidence-based medicine. The goal of this paper is to introduce meta-analysis and meta-regression in the synthesis of scientific evidence in the efficacy of antihypertensive therapy.


METHODS
Data from 13 randomized controlled trial comparing active antihypertensive therapy with a non-therapeutic control have been analyzed. Data on trials following patients at least more than one year have been poole through random-effects models and meta-regression models.


RESULTS
Pooled data from meta-analysis showed that antihypertensive therapy decreased the risk of adverse outcomes attributable to the disease, mainly stroke. Regression models indicated that this risk was independent from study duration and patients mean age.


CONCLUSIONS
The results of this study have showed the applicability and usefulness of data synthesis techniques in decision making in health care using hypertension as a case-study. This case-study allows us to make recommendations for research and therapy.
Department of Health Policy and Management, School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. direccio@fbjoselaporte.org
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Cappelleri
D000368:Aged; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012044:Regression Analysis
D000959:Antihypertensive Agents