Heart Health

Intensive lowering of blood pressure may protect people with type 2 diabetes from heart disease

In the journals

  • Reviewed by Howard E. LeWine, MD, Chief Medical Editor, Harvard Health Publishing; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
n0325j

Half of the nearly 13,000 study subjects were assigned to aggressively reduce their blood pressure to 120 mm Hg or lower, often by taking multiple medications, and the other half were given an easier goal of less than 140 mm Hg. After an average of four years, the incidences of major cardiovascular events (including stroke or heart attack) among people assigned to the goal of no more than 120 mm Hg were significantly lower than among those assigned to less than 140 mm Hg (whose average reading was 135 mm Hg).

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About the Author

photo of Matthew Solan

Matthew Solan, Executive Editor, Harvard Men's Health Watch

Matthew Solan is the executive editor of Harvard Men’s Health Watch. He previously served as executive editor for UCLA Health’s Healthy Years and as a contributor to Duke Medicine’s Health News and Weill Cornell Medical College’s … See Full Bio
View all posts by Matthew Solan

About the Reviewer

photo of Howard E. LeWine, MD

Howard E. LeWine, MD, Chief Medical Editor, Harvard Health Publishing; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing

Dr. Howard LeWine is a practicing internist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, Chief Medical Editor at Harvard Health Publishing, and editor in chief of Harvard Men’s Health Watch. See Full Bio
View all posts by Howard E. LeWine, MD

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