January 1, 1982Southern Medical Journal50 citations
Declining Mortality From Hypertension and Stroke
View Full Paper
Key Points
- The research investigates the decline in mortality rates from hypertension and stroke over the last several decades.
- Review of mortality records over 50 to 75 years.
Structured PICO
Does antihypertensive drug therapy and public health efforts reduce mortality from hypertension and stroke?
P
Population
General population in most countries over the last 50 to 75 years
I
Intervention
Antihypertensive drug therapy and public health efforts to detect and treat hypertension
O
Outcome
Mortality from hypertension and strokehard clinical
The dramatic decline in mortality from hypertension and stroke over the past 50-75 years is likely driven by changes in blood pressure determinants and the increasing use of antihypertensive therapy.
Abstract
Recorded mortality from hypertension and stroke has decreased dramatically in most countries during the last 50 to 75 years. The reported reduction in mortality may be due to changes in diagnostic fashions or coding procedures. However, the magnitude and consistency of the decline suggests the occurrence of a true decrease. The possibility that better treatment of hypertension is responsible for the reduction in mortality is attractive. However, based on temporal relationships, it seems more likely that much of the fall has resulted from an alteration in the determinants of blood pressure. Increasing use of antihypertensive drug therapy may account for an acceleration in the decline of stroke mortality during the last decade. If so, this represents one of the first tangible benefits of the massive public health efforts to detect and treat hypertension in the community.
Cite This Study
Paul K. Whelton (1982) studied this question.