Lower blood pressure targets showed benefits in older adults with hypertension
A trial meta-analysis found fewer cardiovascular events and deaths with intensive blood pressure control, while stroke results remained statistically inconclusive.
Based on the published abstract. The full paper may contain additional methods, results and limitations.
The 30-second takeaway
Among the older adults studied, intensive blood pressure control reduced pooled cardiovascular events and deaths from any cause. Stroke incidence did not differ significantly, and serious adverse events showed no statistically detectable difference. These results concern the trial populations and do not establish the most appropriate target for every older person.
This abstract-based account lacks follow-up duration, absolute event rates and detailed participant characteristics. Those omissions limit assessment of the absolute benefit and applicability to an individual patient.
What researchers found
Composite cardiovascular events
Intensive versus less intensive control: 0.61 times the risk. This describes relative risk, not an absolute event rate; the confidence interval shows uncertainty around the estimate. Follow-up was not reported.
What the review tested
The researchers compared stricter and less strict systolic blood pressure targets in older patients with hypertension. They examined cardiovascular events, deaths, stroke and serious adverse events to assess benefits and harms.
Understanding the safety result
The pooled analysis did not detect a difference in serious adverse events. This does not establish identical safety: the abstract does not describe individual adverse events or their frequency in each group.
The original publication
Targeting a systolic blood pressure of <130 mmHg is beneficial in adults with hypertension aged ≥75 years: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Nozato Y, Nohara-Shitama Y, Kubozono T et al.
Hypertens Res · 2025
- PubMed ID
- 40790093
- Record checked
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