title: Effects of perindopril-based blood pressure lowering and of patient characteristics on the progression of silent brain infarct: the Perindopril Protection against Recurrent Stroke Study (PROGRESS) CT Substudy in Japan.
abstract: Controversy persists as to whether reducing the blood pressure of patients with a history of stroke leads to an increased risk of silent brain infarct (SBI) and dementia. A total of 667 patients were randomized to receive the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor perindopril (4 mg daily), with or without the diuretic indapamide (2 mg daily) or matching placebo(s). Brain CT scanning was performed annually over the mean follow-up period of 3.9 years. Active treatment reduced the blood pressure (systolic/diastolic) by 5.2/2.6 mmHg over the follow-up period. A total of 119 new SBI were detected and 92% of them were lacunar type small infarcts. The frequency of reaching the primary end-point (recurrent symptomatic stroke or new SBI) was similar in the placebo group (26.5%) and in the active treatment group (25.9%). There was no significant difference in brain atrophy indices between two groups. In the subgroup with a history of large artery infarction, 7 out of 55 patients from the placebo group developed new SBI, while none of the 40 patients from the active treatment group did so (p = 0.020). The baseline diastolic blood pressure was significantly associated with the risk of new SBI (p = 0.004), but the stroke subtype was not. In conclusion, blood pressure-lowering with a perindopril-based regimen did not increase the risk of SBI and brain atrophy in patients with a history of stroke. The baseline diastolic blood pressure was an independent predictor of new SBI, but the index stroke subtype did not influence the risk of SBI.
authors.affiliation: Cerebrovascular Division, National Cardiovascular Center, 5-7-1, Fujishirodai, Suita 565-8565, Japan. yazhaseg@hsp.ncvc.go.jp
authors.forename: Yasuhiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hasegawa
authors.forename: Takenori
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamaguchi
authors.forename: Teruo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Omae
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Woodward
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chalmers
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects*; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002544:Cerebral Infarction / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003971:Diastole; D018450:Disease Progression; D004232:Diuretics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007190:Indapamide / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020913:Perindopril / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D055502:Secondary Prevention; D020521:Stroke / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D004232:Diuretics; D007190:Indapamide; D020913:Perindopril