Effect of hemoglobin levels on cardiovascular outcomes in patients with isolated systolic hypertension and left ventricular hypertrophy (from the LIFE study).

The optimal hemoglobin level in patients with hypertension or heart failure is not yet defined. The aim of the present investigation was to examine the relation of hemoglobin with cardiovascular outcomes in high-risk patients with isolated systolic hypertension (ISH) and left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH). In 1,326 patients with ISH in the Losartan Intervention For Endpoint Reduction in Hypertension (LIFE) study, hemoglobin and cardiovascular outcomes were examined using Cox proportional hazard models.

Treatment of hypertension in patients with congestive cardiac failure.

Hypertension is a major risk factor for the development of cardiac failure. Patients with severe heart failure and left ventricular ejection fraction <40% are excluded from the majority of hypertension trials. The European Guidelines recommend treatment of hypertension in patients with heart failure and the introduction of blood pressure-lowering drugs that deal with the underlying disease.