Effects of different regimens to lower blood pressure on major cardiovascular events in older and younger adults: meta-analysis of randomised trials.
OBJECTIVE
To quantify the relative risk reductions achieved with different regimens to lower blood pressure in younger and older adults.


METHODS
Meta-analyses and meta-regression analyses used to compare the effects on the primary outcome between two age groups (<65 v > or =65 years). Evidence for an interaction between age and the effects of treatment sought by fitting age as a continuous variable and estimating overall effects across trials.


METHODS



METHODS
total major cardiovascular events.


RESULTS
31 trials, with 190 606 participants, were included. The meta-analyses showed no clear difference between age groups in the effects of lowering blood pressure or any difference between the effects of the drug classes on major cardiovascular events (all P> or =0.24). Neither was there any significant interaction between age and treatment when age was fitted as a continuous variable (all P>0.09). The meta-regressions also showed no difference in effects between the two age groups for the outcome of major cardiovascular events (<65 v > or =65; P=0.38).


CONCLUSIONS
Reduction of blood pressure produces benefits in younger (<65 years) and older (> or =65 years) adults, with no strong evidence that protection against major vascular events afforded by different drug classes varies substantially with age.
George Institute for International Health, University of Sydney, PO Box M201, Sydney, NSW 2050, Australia. fturnbull@george.org.au
Turnbull
F
F
Neal
B
B
Ninomiya
T
T
Algert
C
C
Arima
H
H
Barzi
F
F
Bulpitt
C
C
Chalmers
J
J
Fagard
R
R
Gleason
A
A
Heritier
S
S
Li
N
N
Perkovic
V
V
Woodward
M
M
MacMahon
S
S
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002561:Cerebrovascular Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality*; D040261:Harm Reduction; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality*; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012307:Risk Factors
D000959:Antihypertensive Agents