“In a trial (ACCORD), which targeted a blood pressure level of <120 mm Hg, BP reduction increased the risk of serious adverse events, particularly increasing the risk of hypotension and hyperkalemia,” he said. “However, at the target blood pressure levels that the authors examined (<130 mm Hg SBP), the benefits of blood pressure lowering in older patients (preventing heart attacks and strokes) are likely to outweigh any risks.”
Dr. Rahimi said the new analysis is unlikely to change clinical practice due to its observational nature. “However, in the context of randomized trials showing that blood pressure lowering prevents heart attacks and strokes in elderly hypertensive patients, the suggestive evidence from this and other studies that lowering blood pressure may also lower the risk of AF provides another reason for not withholding blood pressure lowering drugs.”
The LIFE trial was sponsored by Merck & Co. The authors of the new report disclosed multiple ties to the company, including employment.
—Reuters Health