Major antihypertensive intervention trials conducted outside the United States

Five antihypertensive trials launched outside of the United States have been designed to address one of two vital issues. The first is whether or not there is an optimal level of blood pressure that clinicians should aim for to minimize the risk of cardiovascular disease. This has been addressed by the Swedish Behandla Blodtryck Battre (BBB) Trial and the international Hypertension Optimal Treatment (HOT) Study. The BBB Trial revealed interesting trends, but no definitive conclusions. The ongoing HOT Study will have to be completed before this particular issue can be adequately addressed. However, preliminary analysis of a subgroup study has revealed that the HOT treatment regimens are as effective in the elderly as in younger patients. The second important issue, which is the question of whether traditional antihypertensive agents are more effective than the newer agents in reducing cardiovascular risk, is the current focus of three ongoing studies. Investigators in the Captopril Prevention Project (CAPPP) are comparing captopril to beta-blocker and diuretic regimens. The purpose of the Nordic Diltiazem Study (NORDIL) is to determine if diltiazem is more effective than conventional therapy in reducing cardiovascular risk. The Swedish Trial in Old Patients with Hypertension-2 (STOP-Hypertension-2) has been designed to compare therapy with beta-blockers and diuretics to therapy with calcium antagonists and angiotension converting enzyme inhibitors. All ongoing trials should be completed in the next few years and are expected to yield valuable information that will improve current strategies for the treatment of hypertension.