Journal of hypertension
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Journal of hypertension · Feb 2015
Review Meta AnalysisEffects of blood pressure lowering on outcome incidence in hypertension: 4. Effects of various classes of antihypertensive drugs--overview and meta-analyses.
In 68 randomized controlled trials (RCTs), blood pressure (BP) lowering was obtained by using drugs of different classes. We have investigated whether BP lowering by any of the major drug classes is effective in reducing the cardiovascular outcomes. ⋯ BP lowering by all classes of antihypertensive drugs is accompanied by significant reductions of stroke and major cardiovascular events. This supports the concept that reduction of these events is because of BP lowering per se rather than specific drug properties. However, evidence of risk reduction of other events and particularly mortality was obtained so far with some drug classes only. As a result of marked differences in the trial design, total cardiovascular risk, SBP/DBP differences and statistical power, comparisons of meta-analyses of different drug-specific placebo-controlled RCTs appear unwarranted.