Can hypertension be prevented? The Danish Hypertension Prevention Project and the Trial of Prevention of Hypertension studies.
Essential hypertension, a major health problem worldwide, is a disease generally considered to require life-long treatment. However, evidence suggests that hypertension is caused by specific phenotypic changes caused by the combination of genetic and environmental factors. Thus, in principle, hypertension could be prevented by prevention of these phenotypic changes. Animal data indicate that early treatment that blocks the renin-angiotensin system have long-term effects after treatment withdrawal. Here we report on two human trials that are testing whether early treatment (with the AT1-antagonist, candesartan) is able to have a persistent effect after stopping treatment: the Danish Hypertension Prevention Project and Trial of Prevention of Hypertension.
Skov
Karin
K
Department of Pharmacology, University of Aarhus, Aarhus, Denmark.
Julius
Stevo
S
Nesbitt
Shawna
S
Mulvany
Michael J
MJ
D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001562:Benzimidazoles / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001713:Biphenyl Compounds / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D003718:Denmark; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010641:Phenotype; D013777:Tetrazoles; D014655:Vascular Resistance / Q000187:drug effects
D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D001562:Benzimidazoles; D001713:Biphenyl Compounds; D013777:Tetrazoles; C077793:candesartan cilexetil