title: The effects of losartan compared to atenolol on stroke in patients with isolated systolic hypertension and left ventricular hypertrophy. The LIFE study.
abstract: The Losartan Intervention For Endpoint reduction in hypertension (LIFE) study reported that a losartan-based antihypertensive regimen reduced cardiovascular morbidity and mortality (composite of cardiovascular death, stroke, and myocardial infarction) more than therapy based on atenolol in patients with left ventricular hypertrophy and isolated systolic hypertension (ISH). Patients aged 55-80 years with blood pressures 160-200/<90 mm Hg were followed for a mean of 4.7 years. Blood pressure was similarly reduced in the losartan (n=660) and atenolol (n=666) ISH groups. There were 88 (6.6%) patients who experienced a stroke, 18 of which were fatal. Of patients experiencing strokes, 72.7% had an ischemic stroke. ISH patients in LIFE compared to the non-ISH group had a higher incidence of any stroke and embolic stroke, and similar incidences of fatal, atherosclerotic, and hemorrhagic/other strokes. The incidence of any stroke (40% risk reduction [RR], p=0.02), fatal stroke (70% RR, p=0.035), and atherothrombotic stroke (45% RR, p=0.022) was significantly lower in losartan-treated compared to the atenolol-treated patients. The 36% RR for embolic strokes in the losartan group was not statistically significantly (p=0.33) different from the atenolol group. These data suggest that losartan-based treatment is more effective than an atenolol-based treatment for patients with ISH and a high risk for stroke.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Ullevaal University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Sverre E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Kjeldsen
authors.forename: Paulette A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Lyle
authors.forename: Jorge R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Kizer
authors.forename: Björn
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dahlöf
authors.forename: Richard B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Devereux
authors.forename: Stevo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Julius
authors.forename: Gareth
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Beevers
authors.forename: Ulf
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: de Faire
authors.forename: Frej
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fyhrquist
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ibsen
authors.forename: Krister
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kristianson
authors.forename: Ole
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Lederballe-Pedersen
authors.forename: Lars H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Lindholm
authors.forename: Markku S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Nieminen
authors.forename: Per
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Omvik
authors.forename: Suzanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Oparil
authors.forename: Steven M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Snapinn
authors.forename: Katherine E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Harris
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wedel
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001262:Atenolol / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects*; D015986:Confounding Factors, Epidemiologic; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy*; D017379:Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular / Q000188:drug therapy*; D019808:Losartan / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015337:Multicenter Studies as Topic; D020521:Stroke / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013599:Systole / Q000187:drug effects; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D001262:Atenolol; D019808:Losartan