Blood Pressure Control May Prevent Over 100,000 Deaths

According to findings from a new study presented at ASN Kidney Week November 15-20 November 2016 at McCormick Place in Chicago, IL, intensive blood pressure lowering may prevent more than 100,000 deaths in the U.S. each year.

The Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial (SPRINT) trial, the largest study of its kind, was conducted with more than 9300 participants aged 50 and older with high blood pressure. Patients were assigned to a systolic blood pressure target of 120 mm Hg or the 140mm Hg and were prescribed medication accordingly.  Findings showed that intensive systolic blood pressure lowering to 120 mm Hg prolonged life compared with the standard SBP lowering to 140mm Hg.

See Also: SPRINT Study: Lowering Blood Pressure Lowers CVD Events

Tisha Joerla Tan, MD (Loyola University Medical Center) and her colleagues applied the study's findings to similar individuals in the general US population. Approximately 18.1 million US adults met SPRINT criteria. Intensive blood pressure lowering was projected to prevent nearly 105,000 deaths per year.

"Our analyses also showed that more than 4 million adults with stage 3-4 chronic kidney disease meet SPRINT criteria, and intensive systolic blood pressure lowering was projected to prevent 32,800 deaths per year in this group," said Dr. Tan.

Source: American Society of Nephrology
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