title: Lower blood pressure goals in high-risk cardiovascular patients: are they defensible?
abstract: This review highlights the paucity of data that support actively decreasing blood pressures (BP) to a level of less than 130/80 mm Hg. Although the data support a lower cardiovascular (CV) event rate with this lower level of pressure in high-risk CV people, early aggressive intervention to prevent levels from going above this mark prevent development of worsening atherosclerosis. Although no trial will ever prove this concept of prevention, common sense and multiple animal experiments support it. Most patients should have their systolic BP reduced to levels well below 140 mm Hg approaching 130 mm Hg, not 140 mm Hg.
authors.affiliation: The University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, IL 60637, USA.
authors.forename: Keith A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Hopkins
authors.forename: George L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Bakris
mesh_terms: D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000208:ethnology / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D012307:Risk Factors