title: Effect of antecedent hypertension and follow-up blood pressure on outcomes after high-risk myocardial infarction.
abstract: The influence of blood pressure on outcomes after high-risk myocardial infarction is not well characterized. We studied the relationship between blood pressure and the risk of cardiovascular events in 14 703 patients with heart failure, left ventricular systolic dysfunction, or both after acute myocardial infarction in the Valsartan in Myocardial Infarction Trial. We assessed the relationship between antecedent hypertension and outcomes and the association between elevated (systolic: >140 mm Hg) or low blood pressure (systolic: <100 mm Hg) in 2 of 3 follow-up visits during the first 6 months and subsequent cardiovascular events over a median 24.7 months of follow-up. Antecedent hypertension independently increased the risk of heart failure (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.19; 95% CI: 1.08 to 1.32), stroke (HR: 1.27; 95% CI: 1.02 to 1.58), cardiovascular death (HR: 1.11; 95% CI: 1.01 to 1.22), and the composite of death, myocardial infarction, heart failure, stroke, or cardiac arrest (HR: 1.13; 95% CI: 1.06 to 1.21). While low blood pressure in the postmyocardial infarction period was associated with increased risk of adverse events, patients with elevated blood pressure (n=1226) were at significantly higher risk of stroke (adjusted HR: 1.64; 95% CI: 1.17 to 2.29) and combined cardiovascular events (adjusted HR: 1.14; 95% CI: 1.00 to 1.31). Six months after a high-risk myocardial infarction, elevated systolic blood pressure, a potentially modifiable risk factor, is associated with an increased risk of subsequent stroke and cardiovascular events. Whether aggressive antihypertensive treatment can reduce this risk remains unknown.
authors.affiliation: Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
authors.forename: Jens J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Thune
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Signorovitch
authors.forename: Lars
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kober
authors.forename: Eric J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Velazquez
authors.forename: John J V
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: McMurray
authors.forename: Robert M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Califf
authors.forename: Aldo P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Maggioni
authors.forename: Jean L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Rouleau
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Howlett
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zelenkofske
authors.forename: Marc A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Pfeffer
authors.forename: Scott D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Solomon
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D002216:Captopril / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011379:Prognosis; D012307:Risk Factors; D020521:Stroke / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D013777:Tetrazoles / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014633:Valine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000068756:Valsartan; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D013777:Tetrazoles; D000068756:Valsartan; D002216:Captopril; D014633:Valine