Federal health officials in the US declared last September 11, that they were ending a major study for more than a year due to the discovery of "potential lifesaving information." And It has already conclusively answered a question cardiologists have been puzzled for decades -How long should blood pressure go? Their answer is way lower than the current guidelines.
Lowering of blood pressure means to reduce the patients' blood rate below the recommend level, which can cut their risk of heart disease and death of adults aged over 50.
In this study of more than 9,300 patients with hypertension, using a combination of medicines to reduce systolic pressure to a target of 120 versus 140 cut the rates of heart attacks, strokes and heart failures by nearly a quarter of possible deaths.
A normal systolic blood pressure is 120 below, but when it reached from 120-139 it means a person has normal blood pressure that is higher than the ideal or borderline. People at this level are at greater risk of developing heart disease. However, when it reaches from 140 or higher, on repeated measurements is considered to be hypertension, or high blood pressure.
Hence, high blood pressure is widely considered as the leading risk factor for heart disease, kidney failure and other health problems.
This potentially lifesaving information is "useful to help care providers on how to give the best treatment option for some of the patients", according to the person who sponsored the study, Dr. Gary Gibbons, director of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI).
The findings was supposed to be concluded in 2017, but since the results have great importance to public health, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute announced on Friday, September 18 that they would release the data on a paper within a few months.
Dr. Mark Creager, President of the American Heart Association and Director of the Heart and Vascular Center said "it is outstanding news and it will serve as a road map and will save a significant amount of lives."
