Almost half a century after rigorous studies showed medicines that lower blood pressureprevent heart attacks, strokes and deaths, researchers still do not know just how low blood pressure should go. More than 58 million Americans take these drugs, but this fundamental question remains unresolved.

“We all know treating hypertension is good, but we don’t know how aggressive we should be,” said Dr. Michael Lauer, the director of the Division of Cardiovascular Sciences at the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.

The institute is seeking definitive answers as part of its mission to drive down deaths from cardiovascular disease, continuing the decades-long plunge in mortality rates from this leading killer...............Read more

Source web page: The New York Times