Medical News: Lower Blood Pressure Targets Offer No Benefits - in Nephrology, Hypertension from MedPage Today

Medical News: Lower Blood Pressure Targets Offer No Benefits - in Nephrology, Hypertension from MedPage Today: "Lower is not always better for blood pressure targets, according to a Cochrane review that revealed no reduction in morbidity and mortality below the standard 140/90 mm Hg. Treating patients to reach lower targets did drop blood pressure by a modest average of 3.9 mmHg systolic and 3.4 mm Hg diastolic more than conventional goals (P<0.001), according to Jose Agustin Arguedas, of the University of Costa Rica in San Pedro de Montes de Oca, and colleagues. However, the lower goals were not associated with significant reductions in any important outcome, including: * Total mortality (relative risk 0.92, 95% confidence interval 0.86 to 1.15) * MI (RR 0.90, 95% CI 0.74 to 1.09) * Stroke (RR 0.99, 95% CI 0.79 to 1.25) * Congestive heart failure (RR 0.88, 95% CI 0.59 to 1.32) * Major cardiovascular events (RR 0.94, 95% CI 0.83 to 1.07) * End-stage renal disease (RR 1.01, 95% CI 0.81 to 1.27)"