August 1, 1990Journal of Hypertension
Is a high serum cholesterol level associated with longer survival in elderly hypertensives?
Why the study?
Is a high serum cholesterol level associated with longer survival in elderly hypertensives?
Population
822 elderly hypertensive patients
Comparison
Higher baseline serum total cholesterol vs Lower baseline serum total cholesterol
Design
Cohort, Patients were randomized to active treatment or placebo in the parent…
Follow-up
average of 3.1 years
Authors
Discussion
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Implication
Higher baseline cholesterol may mark lower mortality risk in elderly hypertensives; leaves open causality and should not yet change practice.
Key Points
- To evaluate the relationship between baseline serum total cholesterol concentrations and long-term mortality in elderly hypertensive patients.
- Conducted a double-blind randomized trial with N=822 elderly hypertensive patients followed for an average of 3.1 years by the European Working Party on High Blood Pressure in the Elderly.
- Evaluated patients receiving placebo or active treatment consisting of hydrochlorothiazide (25-50 mg/day) plus triamterene (50-100 mg/day), with alpha-methyldopa (0.5-2.0 g/day) added in one-third of patients.
- Baseline serum total cholesterol was independently and inversely associated with total mortality (P = 0.03), non-cardiovascular mortality (P = 0.03), and cancer mortality (P = 0.04).
- Serum cholesterol fell during follow-up across both placebo (0.11 mmol/l per year) and active treatment arms (0.14 mmol/l per year), while total and non-cardiovascular mortality also negatively correlated with baseline haemoglobin and body weight.
Structured PICO
Is a high serum cholesterol level associated with longer survival in elderly hypertensives?
P
Population
822 elderly hypertensive patients
I
Intervention
Higher baseline serum total cholesterol
C
Comparator
Lower baseline serum total cholesterol
O
Outcome
Total mortalityhard clinical
In elderly hypertensive patients, higher baseline serum cholesterol was unexpectedly associated with lower total, non-cardiovascular, and cancer mortality.
Cite This Study
Staessen et al. (1990) studied this question.