18 Nov 2024 • A recent study showed that intensive blood pressure treatment targeting a systolic BP of less than 120 mm Hg significantly reduced the incidence of major cardiovascular events in patients with type 2 diabetes.

-The trial enrolled 12,821 patients aged 50 years and older with elevated systolic BP and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. -Participants were randomly assigned to receive intensive treatment targeting a systolic BP of <120 mm Hg or standard treatment targeting <140 mm Hg. -After a median follow-up of 4.2 years, the intensive-treatment group experienced significantly fewer major cardiovascular events (e.g., nonfatal stroke, myocardial infarction) compared to the standard-treatment group (1.65 vs. 2.09 events per 100 person-years, hazard ratio 0.79). -While the incidence of serious adverse events was similar between the groups, symptomatic hypotension and hyperkalemia were more frequent in the intensive-treatment group. This study supports more aggressive BP control to reduce cardiovascular risk in patients with type 2 diabetes. Source: N Engl J Med. Read full story