Predictors of cardiovascular morbidity in treated hypertension: results from the primary preventive trial in Göteborg, Sweden

Abstract

Prognostic factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD) were studied in treated, middle-aged male hypertensives, derived from a random population sample and followed for more than 10 years. In multivariate analysis diastolic blood pressure, smoking, serum cholesterol, proteinuria, angina pectoris and previous stroke were found to be independent predictors of CVD morbidity (non-fatal myocardial infarction (MI), non-fatal stroke, or CVD death). Multivariate analyses for coronary heart disease (CHD), stroke and CVD mortality were also performed and the results are given. Life-table analyses showed a three times higher CVD incidence among smokers than amongst non-smokers and a doubled incidence for subjects with a serum cholesterol in the highest quartile, i.e. above 7.3 mmol/l, compared with those with levels below, and a three times higher incidence for subjects with proteinuria than those without. Non-smokers with a serum cholesterol below 7.3 mmol/l and free of any hypertensive organ manifestation at entry did not differ significantly in CVD morbidity from a normotensive comparison group that was derived from the same population sample. These findings in a well-defined population sample show that in spite of treatment for hypertension the CVD risk is still substantial if organ damage or other risk factors are present. These findings underline the importance of multiple risk intervention.