Search

To compare costs for management of hypertension in elderly hypertensives randomized to starting treatment with conventional (beta-blockers/diuretics) therapy or a therapy initiated with a calcium antagonist or an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor.Health economic substudy in the Swedish Trial in Old Patients with Hypertension-2 (STOP Hypertension-2).Outpatient clinics in Sweden. In this health economics substudy, 16/312 participating STOP-2 trial centers were selected.Elderly (70--84 years) patients (n=303) with a systolic and/or diastolic hypertension (or=180 and/or 105 mmHg).Costs for patient management were analyzed and categorized in costs for routine care (protocol-driven costs, PDC), costs for extra visits or care (non-protocol-driven costs, NPDC), and direct drug costs (drug treatment costs, DTC). All calculations are related to costs during the first year of treatment after inclusion in STOP Hypertension-2.Out of the scheduled visits, a total of 99% were actually performed by the patients. There were no differences in the number of visits between the three treatment groups (diuretics/beta-blockers, calcium antagonists or ACE inhibitors). PDC did thus not differ between the three treatment groups. NPDC were similar in the conventional and calcium antagonist groups and lower than for the ACE inhibitor group. DTC were lower in the conventional treatment group compared with the other two groups. CONCLUSION. In elderly hypertensives in STOP Hypertension-2, total costs for management of hypertension were lower in patients assigned to diuretics, beta-blockers or calcium antagonists compared with ACE inhibitors during the first year of treatment. These results may be relevant to management of elderly hypertensive patients, especially in those patients without compelling indications or contraindications to starting treatment with either of these three main drug alternatives. Notably, with a specific drug regimen there are sizable NPDC such as extra visits and controls associated with symptoms or side-effects of a specific therapy, which significantly add to the total costs of treatment. Such costs, beyond the actual costs for the drugs, are important to realize and evaluate in order to provide the true costs for treatment of hypertensive patients.

Summary Background Is cancer related to hypertension and blood pressure? Do antihypertensive drugs promote cancer? Do antihypertensive drugs protect against cancer? We previously analysed the frequency of cardiovascular mortality and morbidity in elderly people who participated in the Swedish Trial in Old Patients with Hypertension 2 (STOP-Hypertension-2). We have also looked at the frequency of cancer in these patients. Methods We randomly assigned 6614 elderly patients with hypertension (mean age 76 years, median time of follow-up 5·3 years) to one of three treatment strategies: conventional drugs (diuretics or β-blockers), calcium antagonists, or ACE inhibitors. We matched the patients to the Swedish Cancer Registry and compared our findings with expected values based on age, sex, and calendar-year-specific reference frequencies for the general Swedish population. We also compared the number of cancers between the three treatment groups. Findings At baseline, 607 (9%) patients had previous malignant disease. Diagnoses were closely similar to the distribution of cancer types that might be seen in elderly patients. During follow-up, there were 625 new cases of cancer in 590 patients. The frequency of cancer did not differ significantly between the treatment strategies, including all cancers and those at individual sites. The standardised incidence ratios (SIRs) for all cancers were also close to unity: 0·92 (95% Cl 0·80–1·06) for conventional drugs, 0·96 (0·83–1·10) for calcium antagonists, and 0·99 (0·86–1·13) for ACE inhibitors. Interpretations No difference in cancer risk was seen between patients randomly assigned to conventional drugs, calcium antagonists, or ACE inhibitors. Thus, the general message to the practising physician is that more attention should be given to getting the blood pressure down than to the risk of cancer.

BackgroundThe benefits of treating hypertension in elderly diabetic patients, in terms of achieving reductions in cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, have been documented in several recent prospective trials. There has, however, been some controversy regarding the effect of different antihyperte

Summary Background The efficacy of new antihypertensive drugs has been questioned. We compared the effects of conventional and newer antihypertensive drugs on cardiovascular mortality and morbidity in elderly patients. Methods We did a prospective, randomised trial in 6614 patients aged 70–84 years with hypertension (blood pressure ≥180 mm Hg systolic, ≥105 mm Hg diastolic, or both). Patients were randomly assigned conventional antihypertensive drugs (atenolol 50 mg, metoprolol 100 mg, pindolol 5 mg, or hydrochlorothiazide 25 mg plus amiloride 2·5 mg daily) or newer drugs (enalapril 10 mg or lisinopril 10 mg, or felodipine 2·5 mg or isradipine 2–5 mg daily). We assessed fatal stroke, fatal myocardial infarction, and other fatal cardiovascular disease. Analysis was by intention to treat. Findings Blood pressure was decreased similarly in all treatment groups. The primary combined endpoint of fatal stroke, fatal myocardial infarction, and other fatal cardiovascular disease occurred in 221 of 2213 patients in the conventional drugs group (19·8 events per 1000 patientyears) and in 438 of 4401 in the newer drugs group (19·8 per 1000; relative risk 0·99 [95% Cl 0·84–1·16], p=0·89). The combined endpoint of fatal and non-fatal stroke, fatal and non-fatal myocardial infarction, and other cardiovascular mortality occurred in 460 patients taking conventional drugs and in 887 taking newer drugs (0·96 [0·86–1·08], p=0·49). Interpretation Old and new antihypertensive drugs were similar in prevention of cardiovascular mortality or major events. Decrease in blood pressure was of major importance for the prevention of cardiovascular events.

Summary Background Beneficial clinical effects of treatment with antihypertensive drugs have been shown in middle-aged patients and in those hypertensive patients over 60 years old, but whether treatment is beneficial in patients over 80 years old is not known. Methods We collected data from all participants aged 80 years and over in randomised controlled trials of antihypertensive drugs through direct contact with study investigators. Our primary outcome was fatal and non-fatal stroke. Secondary outcomes were death from all causes, cardiovascular death, fatal and non-fatal major coronary and cardiovascular events, and heart failure. Findings There were 57 strokes and 34 deaths among 874 actively treated patients, compared with 77 strokes and 28 stroke deaths among 796 controls, representing 1 non-fatal stroke prevented for about 100 patients treated each year. The meta-analysis of data from 1670 participants aged 80 years or older suggested that treatment prevented 34% (95% CI 8–52) of strokes. Rates of major cardiovascular events and heart failure were significantly decreased, by 22% and 39%, respectively. However, there was no treatment benefit for cardiovascular death, and a non-significant 6% (-5 to 18) relative excess of death from all causes. Interpretations The inconclusive findings for mortality contrast with the benefit of treatment for non-fatal events. Results of a large-scale specific trial are needed for definite conclusion that antihypertensive treatment is beneficial in very elderly hypertensive patients. Meanwhile, an age threshold beyond which hypertension should not be treated cannot be justified.

Background and Purpose Drug treatment of high blood pressure has been shown to reduce the associated cardiovascular risk. Stroke represents the type of event more strongly linked with high blood pressure, responsible for a high rate of death or invalidity, and with the highest proportion of events that can be avoided by treatment. Hypertensive patients with a history of cerebrovascular accident are at particularly high risk of recurrence. Specific trials of blood pressure lowering drugs in stroke survivors showed inconclusive results in the past. Methods We performed a meta-analysis using all available randomized controlled clinical trials assessing the effect of blood pressure lowering drugs on clinical outcomes (recurrence of stroke, coronary events, cause-specific, and overall mortality) in patients with prior stroke or transient ischemic attack. Results We identified 9 trials, including a total of 6752 patients: 2 trials included 551 hypertensive stroke survivors; 6 trials of hypertensive patients included a small proportion of stroke survivors (536 patients); 1 trial included stroke survivors, whether hypertensive or not (5665 patients). The recurrence of stroke, fatal and nonfatal, was significantly reduced in active groups compared with control groups consistently across the different sources of data (relative risk of 0.72, 95% confidence interval: 0.61 to 0.85). There was no evidence that this intervention induced serious adverse effect. Conclusions Blood pressure lowering drug interventions reduced the risk of stroke recurrence in stroke survivors. Available data did not allow to verify whether such benefit depends on initial blood pressure level. More data are needed before considering antihypertensive therapy in normotensive patients at high cerebrovascular risk.

Different studies on the stability of high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL) in frozen serum or plasma have yielded conflicting results, namely increase, decrease, or no change at all during prolonged storage under freezing conditions. As part of a major trial on lipid-lowering strategies we statistically demonstrated a time-related decrease in HDL cholesterol during storage up to 46 months at -20 degrees C. We therefore re-analysed 85 frozen samples that had been analysed fresh and then stored from 26 to 46 months, using the dextran sulphate 500/Mg2+ method. A linear regression analysis of change in HDL cholesterol on time was performed. The slope was significantly negative (p < 0.0005). The regression equation was (decrease in HDL) = 0.05 - 0.008 x (time in months), i.e. after 6 months' storage at -20 degrees C there was almost a 1% decrease in the HDL cholesterol concentration per month of storage.

The Swedish Trial in Old Patients with Hypertension-2 (STOP-Hypertension-2) was designed by a project group of the Swedish Hypertension Society to test whether the "newer" treatment alternatives (ACE inhibitors and calcium antagonists) are as good as, better or less good than, the "older" ones (beta-blockers and diuretics) in terms of preventing cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in elderly hypertensives. The aim of the present paper is to report on the progress of the study.Prospective, open trial with blinded end-point committee and centralized randomization (PROBE design). STOP-Hypertension-2 may be regarded as a scientific follow-up of the previously published Swedish Trial in Old Patients with Hypertension (STOP-Hypertensioon-1) (6) using the same study organization.By the end of 1994 when recruitment was stopped, 6628 hypertensive men (34%) and women (66%) aged 70-84 (mean age 76) had been included at 312 Swedish health centres (out of approximately 850). In the whole cohort 11% are diabetics and 9% smokers. The mean total cholesterol value is 6.5 mmol/L.In the whole study cohort, blood pressure was lowered from 194/98 mmHg to 167/85 mmHg after one year. At the end of 1995, 319 fatal events (all-cause mortality) had been reported, corresponding to a mortality rate of 21.3 per 1000 person-years.In STOP-Hypertension-2, 6628 elderly hypertensive have been randomized to three different treatment regimes: beta-blocker+diuretics (the active treatment arm in STOP-Hypertension-1), ACE inhibitors, or calcium antagonists. Their average lowering of blood pressure was 27/13 mmHg and end-points have occurred at the expected rate. Thus, it should be possible to terminate STOP-Hypertension-2 within two to three years.

Limited additional benefit was gained from being in the group receiving the intensive health care advice. It is difficult to make an important impact on cardiovascular risk in primary care by using ...

The cost of screening for hypercholesterolaemia in a clinical trial was investigated at a primary health care centre. A convenience sample of the population was screened for inclusion in a study of the effectiveness of a lipid lowering programme. Included in the study were adults 30-59 years of age with a S-Cholesterol of 6.50-7.79 mmol l-1 at randomization, plus two previous values > or = 6.50 mmol l-1 at screening and selection, with at least two other cardiovascular risk factors. In total 447 persons were screened and 37 were randomized into the lipid lowering programme. The mean cost per randomized person was estimated at about SEK 7500 (Swedish Crowns). An analysis of different inclusion criteria for treatment was also carried out. The cost of finding a patient to treat in the clinical trial was estimated to be more than three times as high with a total cholesterol cut-off point of 7.80 mmol l-1 compared with a cut-off point of 5.20 mmol l-1.

It is well established that hypertensive patients benefit from drug treatment of their disorder. In recent years three major out-come studies of antihypertensive treatment in elderly hypertensives have shown substantial benefits, i.e. a reduction in the risk of stroke and other cardiovascular mortality and morbidity. In all these studies beta-blockers and/or diuretics were used in comparison with placebo. Newer therapeutic alternatives have, however, at least theoretically, many advantages which could result in further improvements in prognosis. The initial Swedish Trial in Old Patients with Hypertension (STOP-Hypertension 1) was conducted in men and women aged 70-84 years. STOP-Hypertension 2 will evaluate the therapy used in STOP-Hypertension 1 against therapy based on either ACE-inhibitors (enalapril and lisinopril) or on calcium antagonists (isradipine and felodipine), using the PROBE design (Prospective, Randomised, Open, Blinded Endpoint evaluation). The primary aim will be to assess the effect on cardiovascular mortality. Statistical calculations indicate that 6,600 patients, followed for four years will be needed (2p or = 180/105 mmHg (and/or). Recruitment of patients started in September 1992 and so far more than 100 patients/week have been included.

Hypertension is increasingly common with advancing age and a risk factor for all kinds of cardiovascular complications. Moreover, cardiovascular disease is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in the elderly. The Swedish Trial in Old Patients with Hypertension (STOP-Hypertension) was set up by the Swedish Hypertension Society to investigate the value of antihypertensive treatment in the elderly. In this placebo controlled randomised prospective study 1,627 men and women aged 70-84 years with a supine blood pressure > or = 180/105 mmHg (and/or) but not isolated systolic hypertension participated. Three beta-blockers and one diuretic were used as blood pressure lowering agents and the average follow-up in the study was 25 months (3,390 patient-years). Administration of active antihypertensive therapy, reduced supine blood pressure from 195/102 mmHg to 167/87 mmHg at longest follow-up in comparison with placebo. A majority of the patients needed combined treatment to reach the goal blood pressure (160/95 mmHg). Associated with a fall in blood pressure were significant reductions in all cardiovascular primary endpoints (-40%, p = 0.0031), in fatal and non-fatal stroke (-47%, p = 0.0081) and in total mortality (-43%, p = 0.0079). In addition to the substantial effects on primary endpoints active treatment also showed clinically relevant effects on secondary endpoints (e.g. heart failure). The impact on cardiovascular morbidity and mortality with antihypertensive treatment in this elderly cohort was greater than previously seen in middle-aged hypertensive patients, with maintained tolerability and a favourable cost-effectiveness ratio. Finally, women benefited from treatment at least as much as men.

Objective To compare the blood pressure-lowering efficacy, the frequency of side effects and changes in laboratory values of three beta-blockers and a potassium-sparing diuretic combination in elderly hypertensive patients. Design The Swedish Trial in Old Patients with Hypertension (STOP-Hypertension) was a prospective, randomized, double-blind, multicentre trial comparing active antihypertensive treatment with placebo in patients aged 70-84 years. Methods The study group consisted of 1627 elderly hypertensive patients (mean +/- SD age 75.7 +/- 3.7 years; 37% males, 63% females). Supine and standing blood pressure, heart rate and side effects were recorded at each visit. Blood was drawn for routine analysis. The mean length of follow-up was 25 months (range 6-65). No patient was lost to follow-up. Results After 2-months' single-drug therapy, all four active drugs were found to be equally effective in reducing diastolic blood pressure (DBP). However, there were differences in their efficacy in reducing systolic blood pressure (SBP); the diuretic was significantly more effective than the beta-receptor blockers. The results of a series of multiple linear regression analyses showed that the observed differences in effect on SBP could not be explained by the different effects of the drugs on heart rate. More than two-thirds of the patients were given supplementary treatment, most of them already by the 2-month visit, after which there was no significant difference in blood pressure among the treatment regimens. The changes in laboratory values and in the prevalence of symptoms were minor for all four regimens. Conclusion Metoprolol (controlled release), atenolol, pindolol and the combination hydrochlorothiazide + amiloride were equally effective as single drugs in reducing DBP. There were differences in their efficacy in reducing SBP, the diuretic being more effective than the beta-blockers. After addition of supplementary treatment (beta-blocker to diuretic, or vice versa) there were no significant differences in blood pressure reduction among the groups. The changes in laboratory values and in the prevalence of symptoms were minor for all active treatment regimens. Thus, the satisfactory effect on cardiovascular morbidity and mortality was not impaired by low tolerability of the drugs.

To study whether the cardiovascular preventive effect of antihypertensive therapy can be explained solely by the reduction in office blood pressure, and to what extent the risk of stroke and cardiac events is associated with in-study diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and systolic blood pressure (SBP).The Swedish Trial in Old Patients with Hypertension (STOP-Hypertension) was a prospective, randomized, double-blind, multicentre trial comparing active antihypertensive treatment with placebo in patients aged 70-84 years. The study group comprised 1,627 elderly patients (mean blood pressure 195/102 mm Hg; mean age 75.7, SD 3.7; 63% females). The average follow-up was 25 months (range 6-65 months). No patient was lost to follow-up.We applied a Poisson model taking current age, sex, treatment, DBP and SBP into account for all patients in the study. The constants of the model were estimated by the maximum likelihood method.The risk of stroke was significantly lower (42%, p = 0.0402) for a patient on active therapy than for a patient on placebo having the same blood pressure level, age, and sex. There was a corresponding, non-significant, reduction in cardiac events of 21%. In the whole study group the risk of stroke increased by 3% per mmHg (p = 0.0247) with increasing diastolic blood pressure for a given systolic pressure. The corresponding value for cardiac events was 2% per mmHg (p = 0.0376).In STOP-Hypertension we found a substantial risk reduction in stroke in actively treated patients, which was not solely explained by the blood pressure reduction obtained by treatment with beta-blockers and a potassium-sparing diuretic combination.

Although the benefits of antihypertensive treatment in "young" elderly (under 70 years) hypertensive patients are well established, the value of treatment in older patients (70-84 years) is less clear. The Swedish Trial in Old Patients with Hypertension (STOP-Hypertension) was a prospective, randomised, double-blind, intervention study set up to compare the effects of active antihypertensive therapy (three beta-blockers and one diuretic) and placebo on the frequency of fatal and non-fatal stroke and myocardial infarction and other cardiovascular death in hypertensive Swedish men and women aged 70-84 years. We recruited 1627 patients at 116 health centres throughout Sweden, who were willing to participate, and who met the entry criteria of three separate recordings during a 1-month placebo run-in period of systolic blood pressure between 180 and 230 mm Hg with a diastolic pressure of at least 90 mm Hg, or a diastolic pressure between 105 and 120 mm Hg irrespective of the systolic pressure. The total duration of the study was 65 months and the average time in the study was 25 months. 812 patients were randomly allocated active treatment and 815 placebo. The mean difference in supine blood pressure between the active treatment and placebo groups at the last follow-up before an endpoint, death, or study termination was 19.5/8.1 mm Hg. Compared with placebo, active treatment significantly reduced the number of primary endpoints (94 vs 58; p = 0.0031) and stroke morbidity and mortality (53 vs 29; p = 0.0081). Although we did not set out to study an effect on total mortality, we also noted a significantly reduced number of deaths in the active treatment group (63 vs 36; p = 0.0079). The benefits of treatment were discernible up to age 84 years. We conclude that antihypertensive treatment in hypertensive men and women aged 70-84 confers highly significant and clinically relevant reductions in cardiovascular morbidity and mortality as well as in total mortality.

To perform a subgroup analysis on those patients in STOP-Hypertension-2 who had isolated systolic hypertension.The STOP-Hypertension-2 study evaluated cardiovascular mortality and morbidity in elderly hypertensives comparing treatment with conventional drugs (diuretics, beta-blockers) with that of newer ones [angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, calcium antagonists]. In all, 6614 elderly patients with hypertension (mean age 76.0 years, range 70-84 years at baseline) were included in STOP-Hypertension-2. In the present subgroup analysis of STOP-Hypertension-2, isolated systolic hypertension was defined as systolic blood pressure at least 160 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure below 95 mmHg, in accordance with the Syst-Eur and Syst-China study criteria. In total, 2280 patients in STOP-Hypertension-2 met these criteria. In the study, patients were randomized to one of three treatment groups: "conventional" antihypertensive therapy with beta-blockers or diuretics (atenolol 50 mg, metoprolol 100 mg, pindolol 5 mg, or fixed-ratio hydrochlorothiazide 25 mg plus amiloride 2.5 mg daily); ACE inhibitors (enalapril 10 mg or lisinopril 10 mg daily); or calcium antagonists (felodipine 2.5 mg or isradipine 2.5 mg daily). Analysis was by intention to treat.The blood pressure lowering effect in patients with systolic hypertension was similar with all three therapeutic regimens: 35/13 mmHg in the conventional group (n=717), 34/12 mmHg in the ACE inhibitor group (n = 724), and 35/13 mmHg in the calcium antagonist group (n=708). Prevention of cardiovascular mortality, the primary endpoint of the study, did not differ between the three treatment groups. All stroke events, i.e. fatal and non-fatal stroke together, were significantly reduced by 25% in the newer-drugs group compared with the conventional group (95% CI 0.58-0.97; p=0.027). This difference was attributable to reduction of non-fatal stroke while fatal stroke events did not differ between groups. New cases of atrial fibrillation were significantly increased by 43% (95% CI 1.02-1.99; p=0.037) on "newer" drugs compared with "conventional" therapy, mainly attributable to the calcium antagonists. There were no significant differences between the three treatment groups with respect to the risks of myocardial infarction, sudden death or congestive heart failure.The analysis demonstrated that "newer" therapy (ACE inhibitors/calcium antagonists) was significantly better (25%) than "conventional" (diuretics/beta-blockers) in preventing all stroke in elderly patients with isolated systolic hypertension.

Background —Predicting individual risk is needed to target preventive interventions toward people with the highest probability of benefit over a given time period. We assessed which prognostic factors should be used in predicting risk for hypertensive patients and in searching for treatment modifiers. Methods and Results —Data from 24 390 hypertensive participants who constituted the control groups from 8 controlled trials (1726 deaths over 5 years) were analyzed in multivariate survival models. Outcomes were coronary heart disease death, stroke death, and cardiovascular death. We explored systematically the heterogeneity of results between trials. Left ventricular hypertrophy was electrocardiographically confirmed to be a powerful risk factor and should be included in risk scoring. Height, glomerular filtration rate, and serum uric acid deserve further exploration. Body mass index and heart rate were not confirmed as independent cardiovascular risk factors in this population. The association between male sex and coronary heart disease death was significantly stronger in British cohorts. The lack of prognostic value of diastolic blood pressure was explained by an interaction with age, with a positive association before 65 years and a negative association thereafter. Previous antihypertensive treatment was a significant risk factor. Conclusions —Clinical trials provide valuable information for risk prediction. Carefully exploring the heterogeneity among trials is a way to assess the generalizability of findings. This approach, if systematically performed, should increase the ability to identify risk modifiers and to predict individual therapeutic benefit.

Objective. The objectives of the Cost Effectiveness of Lipid Lowering (CELL) study were twofold: (i) to evaluate the effect on overall cardiovascular risk of two types of health care advice (‘usual’ and ‘intensive’) given in primary care, with or without pharmacological medication, with the target being to attain a moderate decrease in cholesterol; (ii) to evaluate the ritual of daily medication on compliance with the health care advice. Design. A prospective, double-blind, randomized, controlled trial of 18 months' duration. Setting. The study was carried out in 32 health centres (out of a total of approximately 850) in Sweden. Subjects. In all, 681 subjects, aged 30–59 years, were randomized. They had at least two cardiovascular risk factors in addition to moderate primary hyperlipidaemia (total cholesterol of at least 6.50 mmol L-1 on three occasions measured by Reflotron, triglycerides less than 4.0 mmol L-1 and an LDL:HDL cholesterol ratio of more than 4.0). Most (87%) of the subjects were males; 626 subjects (92%) completed the 18-month follow-up. Intervention: Half the subjects were randomized to ‘intensive advice’ given in group sessions led by doctors and nurses in primary care. The other half received ‘usual advice’. In each of the two advice groups, one-third received an active lipid-lowering drug (pravastatin), one-third placebo, and one-third no drug at all. The tablets were titrated to achieve a 15% reduction in cholesterol. Main outcome measures. Changes in the overall Framingham risk score, and the development of adverse events in each group. Results. The change in Framingham risk score was significantly reduced only in subjects taking lipid-lowering medication (together with intensive advice-0.13; 95% CI -0.20,-0.06, and together with usual advice -0.16; 95% CI -0.23,-0.09). The other subjects receiving intensive advice tended to fare better than those on usual advice. Lifestyle was not influenced significantly over the study period. The ritual of daily medication did not affect the outcome. Conclusion. As expected, lipid-lowering medication reduced serum cholesterol as well as overall cardiovascular risk in subjects with several risk factors for cardiovascular disease. There was no additive effect of intensive advice to these subjects. However, there was a meagre but significant effect of intensive advice in subjects not receiving active lipid-lowering drugs. One explanation for this difference may be that those on active lipid-lowering medication who had substantial drops in cholesterol might have felt less inclined to change their lifestyle compared with those on other treatment regimens who had less successful drops in cholesterol. There was no benefit from the ritual of taking daily medication.

Objectives. To observe blood pressure, cardiovascular events, and total mortality after withdrawing antihypertensive treatment for elderly patients. Design. Multicentre observational study. Setting. Sweden. A 5-year follow-up of 333 elderly hypertensive patients, aged 70–84 years (mean age 75.2 ± sd 3.8 years, 68% females). In all, 74 out of the 333 patients (22%) died during the study period. Method. After withdrawal of the antihypertensive therapy, all patients started in the untreated state and during the 5-year follow-up they could then either remain in the untreated state, or be reverted to blood-pressure-lowering drug treatment because of hypertension or other diseases, e.g. angina pectoris, oedema, congestive heart failure, etc. Results. The probability of remaining without treatment for 5 years was estimated to be 20%. During the state of no treatment the patients had a lower total mortality risk than that of the general Swedish population, matched for age and sex. They also had a lower risk of cardiovascular events than those in the treated states. Markers indicating a successful withdrawal were monotherapy in low doses and relatively low blood pressure before withdrawal. Conclusion. These results suggest that with frequent check-ups, withdrawal of antihypertensive therapy in the elderly can be tried without increased risk of cardiovascular events.

The original ideas and plans for a major Swedish study on antihypertensive treatment in elderly patients were conceived in the early 1980s. At that time, it was well established that high blood pressure was closely correlated with increased morbidity and mortality from cardiovascular diseases in middle-aged people [1, 2]. For “younger elderly”, up to the age of 70–75, some studies have demonstrated the value of antihypertensive treatment in reducing cardiovascular events [3, 4]. However, these results were mainly based on subgroup analyses and there have been no studies especially designed to evaluate the effects of pharmacological treatment of hypertension in patients aged 70 and above. For these reasons, the Swedish Trial in Old Patients with Hypertension (STOP-Hypertension) was set up and conducted under the supervision of the Swedish Hypertension Society in order to investigate the value of antihypertensive treatment in “old elderly” hypertensives.

The Swedish Trial in Old Patients with Hypertension (STOP-Hypertension) is an ongoing multicenter, randomized, double-blind study of antihypertensive treatment (beta-blockers or diuretics) compared to placebo in hypertensive men and women aged 70-84 years. The main trial, which is now in progress, is being carried out at approximately 120 primary health care centers in Sweden, the aim being to recruit 2000 patients, who will be studied for an average period of 3 years. The main study was preceded by a 1-year pilot study in 31 centers. Almost 5000 patients were screened in the pilot study, 55% of whom were labelled hypertensive, i.e., their recumbent blood pressure was greater than or equal to 180/105 mmHg or they were already receiving antihypertensive therapy. After 1 year, 89 patients (1.9%) had been randomized to double-blind treatment and 66 patients (1.4%) were in the run-in/washout period, whereas the remainder had not been included in the trial. The most common reason for not being included as a failure to reach the inclusion blood pressure criteria (greater than or equal to 180 mmHg systolic and/or greater than or equal to 105 mmHg diastolic) following withdrawal of previous antihypertensive medication. In the main trial, recruitment of new centers and new patients has improved gradually and by April 1989 approximately 900 patients had been randomized to double-blind treatment. In an analysis of 961 elderly patients (mean age 70.1 years), the relation between systolic and diastolic blood pressure and mortality was not significant.

We studied 362 fractures of the femur that had occurred during the years 1950-57 and 1973-83, and 849 fractures of the tibia that occurred during the the years 1950-55 and 1980-83. There was an increase in age-specific incidence over aged 60 years. The risk of low-energy femoral shaft fractures also had increased in elderly women. Both fracture types shifted their age- and sex-specific incidence in the direction of a fragility pattern. There was no increase in the incidence of tibial shaft fractures. Fracture type, site, and degree of displacement of the tibial fractures remained unchanged during the 30 years, i.e, they were predominantly distal, longitudinal fractures with moderate displacement.

Background Trials of drug therapy for hypertension have shown that such therapy has a clear overall benefit in preventing cardiovascular disease. Although these trials have included slightly more women than men, it is still not clear whether treatment benefit is similar for both sexes. Objective To quantify the average treatment effect in both sexes and to determine whether available data show significant differences in treatment effect between women and men. Design Subgroup meta-analysis of individual patient data according to sex. Analysis was based on seven trials from the INDANA (INdividual Data ANalysis of Antihypertensive intervention trials) database and was adjusted for possible confounders. Patients 20,802 women and 19,975 men recruited between 1972 and 1990. Interventions Primarily beta-blockers and thiazide diuretics. Results In women, treatment effect was statistically significant for stroke (fatal strokes and all strokes) and for major cardiovascular events. In men, it was statistically significant for all categories of events (total and specific mortality, all coronary events, all strokes, and major cardiovascular events). The odds ratios for any category of event did not differ significantly between men and women. In absolute terms, the benefit in women was seen primarily for strokes; in men, treatment prevented as many coronary events as strokes. Graphical analyses suggest that these results could be completely explained by the difference in untreated risk. Conclusions In terms of relative risk, treatment benefit did not differ between women and men. The absolute risk reduction attributable to treatment seemed to depend on untreated risk. These findings underline the need to predict accurately the untreated cardiovascular risk of an individual person in order to rationalize and individualize antihypertensive treatment.

The purpose of our study was to estimate the extent to which casual blood pressure measurements can predict mortality in elderly people in a defined population. A random sample of subjects born between 1890 and 1914 was extracted and their medical records were studied. Their earliest blood pressure record was chosen, provided the patient was at least 60 years old at the time of measurement. The population consisted of 961 patients (49.8% women), 560 of whom died between 1968 and 1987. Their mean age was 70.1 years and the total number of person-years involved was 8625. The mortality risk was estimated as a function of sex, present age, systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) blood pressures, by a version of the Cox regression model. On the basis of close confidence intervals we conclude that blood pressure in the elderly is a very weak predictor of mortality.