Treatment of hypertension and prevention of ischemic stroke.

Data clearly indicate that treatment with antihypertensive drugs reduces the incidence of all strokes in men (by 34%), women (by 38%), elderly persons (by 36%), including those older than 80 years (by 34%), younger persons, those with systolic and diastolic hypertension, persons with isolated systolic hypertension, and in those with a history of stroke or transient ischemic attack (by 28%). Blood pressure should be reduced to less than 140/90 mm Hg. The overall data also suggest that reduction of stroke in persons with hypertension is related more to a reduction in blood pressure than to the type of antihypertensive drugs used.