Postgraduate medical journal
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Intensive blood pressure control in older patients with hypertension-a STEP in the right direction?
In November 2022, the Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Management of Hypertension in China were updated; the definition of hypertension and the target of treatment was changed from 140/90 mm Hg to 130/80 mm Hg. This was prompted by the results of the Strategy of Blood Pressure Intervention in the Elderly Hypertensive Patients (STEP) study, a large multicenter randomized controlled trial conducted in China. ⋯ It is also reassuring to know that treating adults aged 60 years or older to achieve a systolic blood pressure of <130 mm Hg is safe, while reducing cardiovascular events, stroke and all-cause mortality. Nevertheless, further studies are needed to delineate the risks and benefits in subgroups, such as the elderly with diabetes or a history of stroke.