title: Can treating the diastolic blood pressure below a certain value increase cardiovascular risk?
abstract: The appearance of cardiovascular events when the diastolic blood pressure is lowered to some critical level is referred to as a "J-curve." Extensive data document the presence of a J-curve appearing when the diastolic blood pressure is lowered by antihypertensive medication to a level below 65 mm Hg, particularly in patients with underlying coronary heart disease even if such disease has not been clinically evident. Caution is needed in the more intensive and widespread treatment of hypertensive patients to avoid a J-curve.
authors.affiliation: University of Texas Southwestern Medical School, Dallas, TX 75390-8586, USA. norman.kaplan@utsouthwestern.edu
authors.forename: Norman M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Kaplan
mesh_terms: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects*; D001795:Blood Pressure Determination; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011379:Prognosis; D018570:Risk Assessment
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents