MORTALITY AND MORBIDITY RESULTS FROM THE EUROPEAN WORKING PARTY ON HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE IN THE ELDERLY TRIAL

The latter was due to a reduction in cardiac mortality (−38%, p=0.036) and a nonsignificant decrease in cerebrovascular mortality (−32%, p=0.16). In the double-blind part of the trial, the total mortality rate was not significantly reduced (−26%, p=0.077). However, cardiovascular mortality was reduced in the actively treated group (−38%, p=0.023), owing to a reduction in cardiac deaths (−47%, p=0.048) and a non-significant decrease in cerebrovascular mortality (−43%, p=0.15). Deaths from myocardial infarction were reduced (−60%, p=0.043), and study-terminating morbid cardiovascular events were significantly reduced by active treatment (−60%, p=0.0064). Non-terminating cerebrovascular events were reduced (−52%, p=0.026), but the non-terminating cardiac events were not (+ 3%, p=0.98). In the patients randomised to active treatment there were 29 fewer cardiovascular events and 14 fewer cardiovascular deaths per 1000 patient years during the double-blind part of the trial.