Aggressive blood pressure management—targeting a systolic blood pressure (SBP) less than 120 mm Hg—is associated with much better cardiovascular outcomes than taking a more traditional approach, according to new findings published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
The analysis represented a fresh look at data from the SPRINT study, which was originally completed back in 2015. Researchers were able to include additional data in this update, including new findings from an observational post-intervention period.
The SPRINT study was sponsored by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute and enrolled more than 9,000 adults with a SBP of 130 to 180 mm HG. All patients were 50 years old or older.
Overall, the study’s authors reported that targeting a SBP of less than 120 mm HG provided significantly more value than targeting a SBP less than 140 mm HG. In fact, the more aggressive approach was associated with a 27% lower risk of the study’s primary outcome, a composite of outcomes that included myocardial infarctions, acute coronary syndrome not resulting in a myocardial infarction, stroke, acute heart failure and death from cardiovascular disease.
“This final report of the findings from SPRINT, now including all cardiovascular and mortality trial events, confirms the benefit of more aggressive blood pressure lowering compared the previously recommended target of less than 140/90 mm Hg,” co-author Jackson T. Wright Jr., MD, PhD, a specialist at University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center and professor at Case Western Reserve University, said in a prepared statement.
“The take-home message from SPRINT is to talk to your doctor about your blood pressure to determine a good goal for you based on your overall cardiovascular disease risk,” added co-author Mahboob Rahman, MD, also from University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center and Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. “Then work with your doctor to achieve that goal.”
The updated SPRINT analysis is available here.
Michael has more than 16 years of experience as a professional writer and editor. He has written at length about cardiology, radiology, artificial intelligence and other key healthcare topics.