Intensive BP lowering reduces recurrent stroke after intracerebral hemorrhage
Intensive blood pressure-lowering treatment after intracerebral hemorrhage reduces the risk of recurrent stroke without an increase in serious adverse events, according to a study published in the September issue of The Lancet Neurology.
A new study published in The Lancet Neurology reveals that aggressive blood pressure reduction after an intracerebral hemorrhage can significantly lower the risk of another stroke without raising the likelihood of serious side effects. Researchers from the University of New South Wales in Australia pooled data from four randomized trials involving 2,944 patients who had previously experienced an intracerebral hemorrhage.
By comparing intensive antihypertensive therapy to standard blood pressure management, the team discovered that the mean systolic blood pressure was 11.2 mm Hg lower in the treatment group. This aggressive blood pressure reduction resulted in a 62% lower risk of any type of recurrent stroke (6.5% vs 10.4%), driven largely by a 39% reduction in recurrent intracerebral hemorrhage events (2.2% vs 5.6%).
Serious adverse events occurred in 28.9% of patients in the intensive group and 33.0% in the control group, indicating that treatment did not lead to increased harm. The beneficial effects of intensive blood pressure lowering were consistent across predefined subgroups. Lead author Xia Wang noted that achieving a 1% absolute reduction in stroke risk requires about 6.1 months of intensive treatment.
These findings underscore the critical importance of tight blood pressure control in preventing secondary strokes following an initial intracerebral hemorrhage.
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