Intensive Versus Standard Blood Pressure Lowering and Days Free of Cardiovascular Events and Serious Adverse Events: a Post Hoc Analysis of Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial.

Background: Communication of the benefits and harms of blood pressure lowering strategy is crucial for shared decision-making.

Objectives: To quantify the effect of intensive versus standard systolic blood pressure lowering in terms of the number of event-free days DESIGN: Post hoc analysis of the Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial PARTICIPANTS: A total of 9361 adults 50 years or older without diabetes or stroke who had a systolic blood pressure of 130-180 mmHg and elevated cardiovascular risk INTERVENTIONS: Intensive (systolic blood pressure goal <120 mmHg) versus standard blood pressure lowering (<140 mmHg) MAIN MEASURES: Days free of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), serious adverse events (SAE), and monitored adverse events (hypotension, syncope, bradycardia, electrolyte abnormalities, injurious falls, or acute kidney injury) over a median follow-up of 3.33 years KEY RESULTS: The intensive treatment group gained 14.

Association of Intensive vs Standard Blood Pressure Control With Cerebral Blood Flow: Secondary Analysis of the SPRINT MIND Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Antihypertensive treatments benefit cerebrovascular health and cognitive function in patients with hypertension, but it is uncertain whether an intensive blood pressure target leads to potentially harmful cerebral hypoperfusion.

Objective: To investigate the association of intensive systolic blood pressure (SBP) control vs standard control with whole-brain cerebral blood flow (CBF).

Design, Setting, And Participants: This substudy of the Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial (SPRINT) randomized clinical trial compared the efficacy of 2 different blood pressure-lowering strategies with longitudinal brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) including arterial spin labeled perfusion imaging to quantify CBF.

Newly developed radioimmunoassay for Human Angiotensin-(1-12) measurements in plasma and urine.

The dodecapeptide angiotensin-(1-12) [Ang-(1-12)] functions as an intracrine/paracrine substrate for local production of angiotensin II. We developed a reliable and specific radioimmunoassay (RIA) method for the measurement of Ang-(1-12) in human plasma and urine using an affinity purified antibody fraction directed towards the C-terminus of the human Ang-(1-12) sequence. The RIA method was applied to quantify the Ang-(1-12) in plasma and urine collected from thirty-four human subjects (29 treated with antihypertensive medicines and 5 untreated patients).

Effect of Intensive Blood Pressure Control on Aortic Stiffness in the SPRINT-HEART.

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Chronic kidney disease, atherosclerotic plaque characteristics on carotid magnetic resonance imaging, and cardiovascular outcomes.

Background: It is unclear whether faster progression of atherosclerosis explains the higher risk of cardiovascular events in CKD. The objectives of this study were to 1. Characterize the associations of CKD with presence and morphology of atherosclerotic plaques on carotid magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and 2.

FGF23, Frailty, and Falls in SPRINT.

Background/objectives: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is associated with frailty. Fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) is elevated in CKD and associated with frailty among non-CKD older adults and individuals with human immunodeficiency virus. Whether FGF23 is associated with frailty and falls in CKD is unknown.

Tubular Biomarkers and Chronic Kidney Disease Progression in SPRINT Participants.

Background: Kidney tubular atrophy on biopsy is a strong predictor of chronic kidney disease (CKD) progression, but tubular health is poorly quantified by traditional measures including estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and albuminuria. We hypothesized that urinary biomarkers of impaired tubule function would be associated with faster eGFR declines in persons with CKD.

Methods: We measured baseline urine concentrations of uromodulin, β2-microglobulin (β2m), and α1-microglobulin (α1m) among 2,428 participants of the Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial with an eGFR <60 mL/min/1.

Effects of Intensive Blood Pressure Control in Patients with and without Albuminuria: Analyses from SPRINT.

Background And Objectives: It is unclear whether the presence of albuminuria modifies the effects of intensive systolic BP control on risk of eGFR decline, cardiovascular events, or mortality.

Design, Setting, Participants, & Measurements: The Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial randomized nondiabetic adults ≥50 years of age at high cardiovascular risk to a systolic BP target of <120 or <140 mm Hg, measured by automated office BP. We compared the absolute risk differences and hazard ratios of ≥40% eGFR decline, the Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial primary cardiovascular composite outcome, and all-cause death in those with or without baseline albuminuria (urine albumin-creatinine ratio ≥30 mg/g).

Urine Markers of Kidney Tubule Cell Injury and Kidney Function Decline in SPRINT Trial Participants with CKD.

Background And Objectives: eGFR and albuminuria primarily reflect glomerular function and injury, whereas tubule cell atrophy and interstitial fibrosis on kidney biopsy are important risk markers for CKD progression. Kidney tubule injury markers have primarily been studied in hospitalized AKI. Here, we examined the association between urinary kidney tubule injury markers at baseline with subsequent loss of kidney function in persons with nondiabetic CKD who participated in the Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial (SPRINT).

Distinct Dimensions of Kidney Health and Risk of Cardiovascular Disease, Heart Failure, and Mortality.

Chronic kidney disease is a strong risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD), but clinical kidney measures (estimated glomerular filtration rate and albuminuria) do not fully reflect the multiple aspects of kidney tubules influencing cardiovascular health. Applied methods are needed to integrate numerous tubule biomarkers into useful prognostic scores. In SPRINT (Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial) participants with chronic kidney disease at baseline (estimated glomerular filtration rate <60 mL/minute per 1.

The SPRINT trial suggests that markers of tubule cell function in the urine associate with risk of subsequent acute kidney injury while injury markers elevate after the injury.

Urine markers can quantify tubular function including reabsorption (α-1 microglobulin [α1m]) and β-2-microglobulin [β2m]) and protein synthesis (uromodulin). Individuals with tubular dysfunction may be less able to compensate to insults than those without, despite similar estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and albuminuria. Among Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial (SPRINT) participants with an eGFR under 60 ml/min/1.

Markers of kidney tubule function and risk of cardiovascular disease events and mortality in the SPRINT trial.

Aims: Biomarkers of kidney tubule injury, inflammation and fibrosis have been studied extensively and established as risk markers of adverse kidney and cardiovascular disease (CVD) outcomes. However, associations of markers of kidney tubular function with adverse clinical events have not been well studied, especially in persons with chronic kidney disease (CKD).

Methods And Results: Using a sample of 2377 persons with CKD at the baseline Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial (SPRINT) visit, we evaluated the association of three urine tubular function markers, alpha-1 microglobulin (α1m), beta-2 microglobulin (β2m), and uromodulin, with a composite CVD endpoint (myocardial infarction, acute coronary syndrome, stroke, acute decompensated heart failure, or death from cardiovascular causes) and mortality using Cox proportional hazards regression, adjusted for baseline estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), albuminuria, and CVD risk factors.

Urinary Biomarkers of Tubular Damage Are Associated with Mortality but Not Cardiovascular Risk among Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial Participants with Chronic Kidney Disease.

Background: Kidney tubulointerstitial fibrosis on biopsy is a strong predictor of chronic kidney disease (CKD) progression, and CKD is associated with elevated risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Tubular health is poorly quantified by traditional kidney function measures, including estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and albuminuria. We hypothesized that urinary biomarkers of tubular injury, inflammation, and repair would be associated with higher risk of CVD and mortality in persons with CKD.

Risk of Hospitalization for Cardiovascular Events with β-Blockers in Hypertensive Patients: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Introduction: β-Blockers are a heterogenous class of drugs that are no longer recommended for initial antihypertension monotherapy due to unfavorable long-term cardiovascular events observed with non-vasodilatory β-blockers. However, the comparative cardiovascular event risk between the vasodilatory β-selective antagonist/β agonist nebivolol and non-vasodilatory β-blockers, atenolol and metoprolol, is unknown.

Methods: Incident nebivolol, atenolol, or metoprolol monotherapy users with hypertension were identified using US claims data (2007-2014).

Additivity of nebivolol/valsartan single-pill combinations versus other single-pill combinations for hypertension.

The single-pill combination (SPC) comprising nebivolol (5 mg), a vasodilatory β -selective antagonist/β -agonist, and valsartan (80 mg), a renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibitor, is the only Food and Drug Administration-approved β-blocker/renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibitor SPC for hypertension. Additive effects of four nebivolol/valsartan SPC doses (5 mg/80 mg, 5/160 mg, 10/160 mg, 10/320 mg nebivolol/valsartan) were compared with five Food and Drug Administration-approved non-β-blocker/renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibitor SPCs (aliskiren/hydrochlorothiazide, aliskiren/amlodipine, valsartan/amlodipine, aliskiren/valsartan, and telmisartan/amlodipine). Additivity is the ratio of placebo-adjusted SPC blood pressure (BP) reduction to the placebo-adjusted monotherapy component BP reduction sums.

Effect of Febuxostat on Ambulatory Blood Pressure in Subjects With Hyperuricemia and Hypertension: A Phase 2 Randomized Placebo-Controlled Study.

Background: Hyperuricemia is associated with hypertension, with elevated serum uric acid levels postulated to have a causal role in the development of hypertension. Consequently, serum uric acid reduction may help lower blood pressure (BP). A Phase 2, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted to assess the potential BP-lowering effects of the xanthine oxidase inhibitor febuxostat in subjects with hypertension and hyperuricemia (serum uric acid ≥0.

Baseline blood pressure control in Hispanics: characteristics of Hispanics in the Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial.

The Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial (SPRINT) tested whether a systolic blood pressure (SBP) value <120 mm Hg reduces adverse clinical outcomes compared with the goal of <140 mm Hg. Here the authors describe the baseline characteristics of Hispanic participants in SPRINT. Nondiabetic hypertensive patients 50 years and older with SBP 130-180 mm Hg taking zero to four blood pressure (BP) medications were enrolled from the mainland United States and Puerto Rico.

Long-term safety of nebivolol and valsartan combination therapy in patients with hypertension: an open-label, single-arm, multicenter study.

Long-term safety of a free-tablet combination of nebivolol and valsartan was assessed in a Phase III, open-label trial (NCT01415505). Adults with hypertension entered a 4-week placebo run-in phase, followed by a 52-week treatment phase. Initial dosage (Neb/Val 5/160 mg/d) was titrated up to 20/320 mg/d to achieve blood pressure (BP) goal (JNC7 criteria), with the addition of hydrochlorothiazide (up to 25 mg/d) if needed.

Clinical utility of fixed-dose combinations in hypertension: evidence for the potential of nebivolol/valsartan.

Despite significant advances in pharmacologic approaches to treat hypertension during the last decades, hypertension- and hypertension-related organ damage are still a high health and economic burden because a large proportion of patients with hypertension do not achieve optimal blood pressure control. There is now general agreement that combination therapy with two or more antihypertensive drugs is required for targeted blood pressure accomplishment and reduction of global cardiovascular risk. The goals of combination therapies are to reduce long-term cardiovascular events by targeting different mechanism underlying hypertension and target organ disease, to block the counterregulatory pathways activated by monotherapies, to improve tolerability and decrease the adverse effects of up-titrated single agents, and to increase persistence and adherence with antihypertensive therapy.

Efficacy and safety of olmesartan/amlodipine/hydrochlorothiazide in patients with hypertension not at goal with mono, dual or triple drug therapy: results of the CHAMPiOn study.

Objective: To assess the efficacy and safety of once daily olmesartan medoxomil (OM)/amlodipine besylate (AM)/hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) 40/10/25 mg in patients with hypertension not at goal with mono, dual or triple drug therapy.

Methods: This was a single-center, prospective, open-label, blinded-endpoint study. After a 1-week screening visit, 40 patients were enrolled into the study and given once daily treatment with OM/AM/HCTZ after the patients underwent baseline ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) on their original therapy.

Nebivolol monotherapy for patients with systolic stage II hypertension: results of a randomized, placebo-controlled trial.

Background: Elevated systolic blood pressure (SBP) is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular events and mortality.

Objective: The goal of this study was to assess whether nebivolol (NEB), a vasodilatory β(1)-selective blocker, is a safe and efficacious monotherapy for individuals with systolic stage II hypertension.

Methods: In this multicenter trial, 18- to 64-year-olds who had not used antihypertensive treatment for at least 4 weeks and had SBP/diastolic blood pressure (DBP) of 160 to 180/90 to 110 mm Hg were randomized to receive double-blind medication for 6 weeks (NEB, n = 290; placebo [PBO], n = 142).