Lower Systolic Blood Pressure Lessens Atrial Fibrillation Risk in Hypertensive Patients

Achieving SBP <130 mm Hg was associated with a 40% lower risk for new-onset AF in a reanalysis of study clinical data.

The incidence of atrial fibrillation (AF) is higher among patients with hypertension and is related to the severity of hypertension. In a substudy of LIFE, an industry-funded treatment-comparison study (NEJM JW Cardiol Feb 2005 and JAMA 2004; 292:2343), researchers evaluated whether achievement of lower systolic blood pressure (SBP) during treatment of hypertension would be associated with a decreased risk for new-onset AF.

The 8831 hypertensive participants had electrocardiographic (ECG) evidence of left ventricular hypertrophy and no history or baseline ECG of AF. During follow-up (mean, 4.6 years), 701 patients experienced new-onset AF (7.9%). These patients were older than non-AF patients; more likely to be male and nonblack and to have …

Reviewing Author

Joel M. Gore, MD

Disclosures

Grant/Research SupportNIH–National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

Joel M. Gore, MD

Disclosures

Grant/Research SupportNIH–National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

Lower Systolic Blood Pressure Lessens Atrial Fibrillation Risk in Hypertensive Patients

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Reviewing Author