That said, the dramatic statistical findings will doubtless cause some near-term changes in hypertension management.

“I think we can anticipate a strong consideration of change in the blood pressure goal between now and when the new guidelines are available,” University of Mississippi Medical Center's Dr. Daniel Jones, M.D., of the University of Mississippi Medical Center, said at the news conference. “I think you can expect many clinicians will look at the results of the SPRINT trial and will move forward with making decisions on many of their patients, especially those at high risk, for more aggressive lowering of blood pressure.”


The study began in 2009 and had more than 9,300 participants age 50 and older and 28 percent had chronic kidney disease. The study used blood pressure medicines to push subjects to targeted goals of less than 120 mm Hg (intensive treatment group) versus 140 mm Hg (standard treatment group). The NIH stopped the blood pressure intervention in August — a year earlier than planned — after it became apparent that this more intensive intervention was beneficial.

There were, however, some side effects associated with intensive treatment. These included low blood pressure, fainting, electrolyte abnormalities, and acute kidney damage. But slowing heart rates and falls did not rise in the group getting more intensive intervention, nor were those with kidney function problems found to show any serious decline in function as the result of treatment.

“The benefits of more intensive blood pressure lowering exceeded the potential for harm, regardless of gender or race or ethnicity,” said study co-author Dr. Paul Whelton, of Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine in New Orleans, and chair of the SPRINT Steering Committee.

Before immediately adjusting treatment, however, patients and health care providers might wait for the study group to issue its new guidelines. "In the meantime, patients should talk to their health care providers to determine whether this lower goal is best for their individual care,” said study co-author Dr. Lawrence Fine, Chief, Clinical Applications and Prevention Branch at NHLBI, who added that beyond medical treatment for the condition, “it’s also important to remember that healthy lifestyle changes can make a difference in controlling high blood pressure.”

Back to HCB News

Cardiology Homepage