Drug treatment of prehypertension: Not now, not ever?
People with prehypertension undoubtedly have an increased risk of cardiovascular and other complications. The vast majority have low absolute risk and whether drug treatment would be beneficial is uncertain. While pharmacotherapy has attractions from a public health prospective, clinicians and crucially those with prehypertension require robust evidence that drug treatment will lead to short-term as well as long-term gains. Any changes in recommendations should await adequately powered outcome studies, which provide solid evidence of the magnitude of absolute risk reduction in treating prehyper-tension and assessment of the cost-effectiveness.
McInnes
Gordon T
GT
Division of Cardiovascular and Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Western Infirmary, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G11 6NT, UK. g.t.mcinnes@clinmed.gla.ac.uk
D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012307:Risk Factors
D000959:Antihypertensive Agents