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Risk for a first ischemic stroke is generally proportional to the level of systolic blood pressure (BP), but optimal poststroke BP for prevention of recurrent stroke is less clear. To examine this issue, researchers conducted a post hoc analysis of data from a previously published secondary prevention study that involved about 20,000 patients (mean age, 66; two thirds men) with recent noncardioembolic ischemic stroke (JW Cardiol Aug 27 2008).
The original study addressed the role of various antiplatelet regimens, and BP was managed by investigators at their discretion. Patients were assessed several times during a mean follow-up of 2.5 years, during which the risk for recurrent stroke was about 8%. Compared with patients who had low-normal s…