Clinical studies and therapeutic trials in systolic hypertension.

A disproportionate increase in SBP over DBP has been recognized for many years as a frequent accompaniment of aging. Initially this was considered to be benign, risk free and potentially dangerous to treat. Study over the years has shown that it is not benign and that antihypertensive therapy can reduce the risks of stroke, myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure and cardiovascular death. Currently, the drugs most widely recommended for this purpose are the thiazide diuretics, long acting dihydropiridine calcium channel antagonists, ACE inhibitors, and beta blocking agents. There may be a special place for nitrates, since these agents are very effective in increasing arterial distensibility--a primary abnormality of the disorder--but a formal study of their effectiveness has not been done. Concern about diastolic hypotension during therapy suggests that treatment to lower the blood pressure in this disorder should be carried out gradually with the aim of reducing the SBP toward normal while avoiding diastolic hypotension.