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Blood pressure medications given right after stroke not beneficial

Date:
February 19, 2014
Source:
Loyola University Health System
Summary:
Giving stroke patients medications to lower their blood pressure right after a stroke does not reduce death or major disability, a study has found. At least 25 percent of the population has high blood pressure, which greatly increases the risk of stroke. Lowering blood pressure has been shown to reduce the risk of stroke. The study investigated whether there also would be a benefit to lowering blood pressure immediately after a stroke. The study included more than 4,000 stroke patients in 26 hospitals, randomly assigned to receive or discontinue blood pressure medications. At 14 days or upon hospital discharge, there were no statistically significant differences between the groups in mortality or disability.
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FULL STORY

A major study has found that giving stroke patients medications to lower their blood pressure during the first 48 hours after a stroke does not reduce the likelihood of death or major disability. The study is published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

At least 25 percent of the population has high blood pressure, which greatly increases the risk of stroke. Lowering blood pressure has been shown to reduce the risk of stroke. The study investigated whether there also would be a benefit to lowering blood pressure immediately after a stroke.

The study included more than 4,000 stroke patients in 26 hospitals across China, who were randomly assigned to receive blood pressure medications or to discontinue blood pressure medications. At 14 days or hospital discharge, there were no statistically significant differences between the groups in mortality or disability.

Blood pressure often is elevated following a stroke. “But in most cases, treatment is unnecessary because the blood pressure declines naturally over time, and lowering blood pressure may be contraindicated,” said stroke specialist Jose Biller, MD, chair of the Department of Neurology of Loyola University Medical Center. “It is important not to overtreat and cause low blood pressure, because the most important objective is to maintain adequate blood flow to the brain.”


Story Source:

Materials provided by Loyola University Health System. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.


Journal Reference:

  1. Jiang He, Yonghong Zhang, Tan Xu, Qi Zhao, Dali Wang, Chung-Shiuan Chen, Weijun Tong, Changjie Liu, Tian Xu, Zhong Ju, Yanbo Peng, Hao Peng, Qunwei Li, Deqin Geng, Jintao Zhang, Dong Li, Fengshan Zhang, Libing Guo, Yingxian Sun, Xuemei Wang, Yong Cui, Yongqiu Li, Dihui Ma, Guang Yang, Yanjun Gao, Xiaodong Yuan, Lydia A. Bazzano, Jing Chen. Effects of Immediate Blood Pressure Reduction on Death and Major Disability in Patients With Acute Ischemic Stroke. JAMA, 2014; 311 (5): 479 DOI: 10.1001/jama.2013.282543

Cite This Page:

Loyola University Health System. "Blood pressure medications given right after stroke not beneficial." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 19 February 2014. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/02/140219142404.htm>.
Loyola University Health System. (2014, February 19). Blood pressure medications given right after stroke not beneficial. ScienceDaily. Retrieved March 28, 2024 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/02/140219142404.htm
Loyola University Health System. "Blood pressure medications given right after stroke not beneficial." ScienceDaily. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/02/140219142404.htm (accessed March 28, 2024).

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