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Biomedical subjects

C Dollery

Publications and source records attributed to C Dollery.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Risks and benefits in the trial of the European Working Party on High Blood Pressure in the Elderly.

Hypertensive patients over the age of 60 years were admitted to a double-blind placebo-controlled trial. Patients in the actively treated group received a combined potassium-losing and -sparing diuretic (triamterene 50 mg plus hydrochlorothiazide 25 mg; n = 416); this dose could be doubled and methyldopa (up to 2 g, daily) was added in 35% of patients when blood pressure remained high. The placebo group (n = 424) received matching capsules and tablets. Adverse effects were assessed in the double-blind period of the trial by calculating the incidence of abnormal biochemical results, investigator reports of diseases and prescriptions of concomitant therapy and a self-administered symptom questionnaire completed by patients. In 1000 hypertensive subjects over 60 years of age, 1 year of active treatment would prevent 11 fatal cardiac events, 6 fatal and 11 non-fatal strokes and 8 cases of severe congestive heart failure. No unexpected adverse treatment effects were observed. A significant excess incidence rate (per 1000 person years) was found in the active group compared with placebo for: (1) impaired renal function, a serum creatinine greater than 180 mumol/l (2.0 mg/dl); (2) mild hypokalaemia, a serum potassium less than 3.5 mmol/l; (3) reports of gout; and (4) an elevated serum uric acid greater than 0.52 mmol/l in men or greater than 0.46 in women. Elevated blood sugar and prescriptions for hypoglycaemic drugs tended to be more frequent in the actively treated group, but this difference was not statistically significant. In both groups, there was a low incidence (less than 7 per 1000 person years) of anaemia and depression and diseases of the liver, gall bladder or pancreas.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Aged

Is a high serum cholesterol level associated with longer survival in elderly hypertensives?

The relationship between serum total cholesterol, measured at randomization, and mortality was investigated in 822 patients, who were followed for an average of 3.1 years in a double-blind trial, conducted by the European Working Party on High Blood Pressure in the Elderly. Serum cholesterol, measured at randomization, was 0.54 mmol/l higher in women than in men, and declined with increasing age in both men (0.028 mmol/l per year) and women (0.036 mmol/l per year). During follow-up on randomized treatment, cholesterol fell by a similar amount with placebo (0.11 mmol/l per year) and with active treatment (0.14 mmol/l per year). Active treatment consisted of hydrochlorothiazide (25-50 mg/day) plus triamterene (50-100 mg/day) with the addition of alpha-methyldopa (0.5-2.0 g/day) in one-third of the patients. Serum total cholesterol, measured at randomization, was independently and inversely correlated with total (P = 0.03), non-cardiovascular (P = 0.03) and cancer (P = 0.04) mortality during follow-up on double-blind treatment. Total and non-cardiovascular mortality were also negatively correlated with haemoglobin and body weight at randomization.

Aged

Age-related effects of placebo and active treatment in patients beyond the age of 60 years: the need for a proper control group.

The age-related response to placebo and active antihypertensive treatment was evaluated in 742 elderly hypertensive patients who were followed in the double-blind placebo-controlled trial conducted by the European Working Party on High blood pressure in the Elderly (EWPHE). In the two treatment groups, the fall in systolic and diastolic blood pressures after 3 months was negatively correlated with age (P less than 0.02), indicating that the hypotensive effect of placebo and active treatment was more pronounced in older patients. Further comparison of the two treatment groups failed to demonstrate any statistical differences in the slopes of the hypotensive effect on age. These conclusions were not altered by cumulative adjustments for baseline blood pressure, pulse rate, serum creatinine and the presence of cardiovascular complications at entry. In conclusion, in the present study, a similar blood-pressure-lowering action which increased with age was observed on active and placebo treatment; thus, proof that an observed age-related hypotensive effect is caused by a particular drug requires comparison with a control group on placebo.

Aged

Diuretic agents and beta-blockers in the treatment of hypertension.

Benzothiadiazine diuretic agents and beta-adrenergic receptor-blocking drugs are two of the main groups of drugs used to treat mild hypertension. Recently, questions have been raised about their relative efficacy in preventing morbidity and mortality from vascular disease in addition to their effect on lowering blood pressure. Attention has been focused on the unfavorable metabolic effects of diuretic drugs and the proven value of beta-adrenergic receptor blockade in secondary prevention after myocardial infarction. Four randomized controlled trials comparing drugs in these two classes have been published: the Medical Research Council trial, the International Prospective Primary Prevention Study in Hypertension, the Heart Attack Primary Prevention in Hypertension trial, and the Metoprolol Atherosclerosis Prevention in Hypertension study. These trials, especially that of the Medical Research Council, have raised some questions about the relative efficacy of these two classes of drugs in preventing stroke in smokers and nonsmokers. Overall, there is little evidence of a reduction in morbidity and mortality after myocardial infarction. The predicted advantage of beta-adrenergic receptor blockade over diuretic therapy has not been realized although there are sufficient hints of a differential benefit to encourage the performance of further trials.

Adrenergic beta-Antagonists

The Medical Research Council Hypertension Trial: the smoking patient.

Tobacco smoking is a powerful risk predictor for coronary disease. In the recent Medical Research Council (MRC) Hypertension Trial, which this article discusses, it also proved to be an important predictor of stroke. The MRC trial had two active treatment groups, one of which received bendrofluazide and the other propranolol. The main positive result of the trial was a 45% reduction in stroke events in the actively treated groups. Propranolol appeared to be much less effective than bendrofluazide in the prevention of stroke in smokers, although both active drugs were equally effective in nonsmokers. Possible explanations for this lack of efficacy in smokers are discussed. Coronary events were not reduced by treatment, although there was a trend toward their reduction in nonsmoking men treated with propranolol. The lack of effect of propranolol in reducing coronary morbidity and mortality rates was a surprise in view of the positive results from trials with both short-term and long-term treatment with beta-adrenergic blockade after myocardial infarction.

Adult

Diuretics--a risk in the long-term treatment of hypertensive patients?

The trial of the European Working Party on High blood pressure in the Elderly (EWPHE) revealed an overall decrease in cardiovascular mortality and morbidity in the actively treated patients. They received as first-line drugs a combination of hydrochlorothiazide and triamterene; methyldopa was added as necessary. The present post hoc analysis examined the effect of the diuretic treatment on cardiovascular events, both when given alone and in conjunction with methyldopa, by calculating the relative hazard rates (RHR) for cardiovascular mortality and morbidity. Using the Cox proportional hazard model, compared with placebo, a 34% reduction in cardiovascular mortality in the intention-to-treat analysis was demonstrated in the diuretic (hydrochlorothiazide and triamterene) group with an RHR of 0.66 and a 95% confidence interval (CI) of 0.44-0.97; the 16% decrease in the group treated with diuretics and methyldopa was not significant (RHR, 0.84; 95% CI, 0.56-1.25). The effect of treatment in the latter combined group became significant (RHR, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.40-0.95) when all cardiovascular study terminating events were considered; they were reduced by 38%. No effect of treatment on mortality from all causes was detected.

Aged

Hypertension.

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Animals

Efficacy of antihypertensive drug treatment according to age, sex, blood pressure, and previous cardiovascular disease in patients over the age of 60.

Results of the European Working Party on High Blood Pressure in the Elderly (EWPHE) trial have been analysed in relation to age, sex, blood pressure, and previous cardiovascular disease. Cardiovascular mortality and the cardiovascular study-terminating events were significantly and independently related to treatment, age, cardiovascular complications at randomisation, and systolic but not diastolic blood pressure. The benefits of treatment observed in the trial seemed to be independent of entry blood pressure and the presence or absence of cardiovascular complications at entry. There was some evidence that treatment effect decreases with advancing age. Little or no benefit from treatment could be demonstrated in patients over the age of 80 years, the great majority of whom were women.

Age Factors

Interaction of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs with antihypertensive and diuretic agents. Control of vascular reactivity by endogenous prostanoids.

Indomethacin and some other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs partially antagonize the blood pressure lowering effect of drugs used to treat hypertension. They can also produce a mild elevation of blood pressure in normotensive individuals. The elevated arterial pressure caused by these agents is associated with increases in the vascular resistance of mainly the renal and splanchnic beds. This may be due to direct inhibition of the synthesis of vasodilator prostanoids, or it may be due to indirect potentiation of the action of the sympathetic nervous system or of angiotensin II. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs also cause renal retention of sodium and this probably contributes to their hypertensive effects. In humans, the sodium retention may involve increased reabsorption in the proximal tubule. Although a direct tubular action is possible, these drugs may change proximal sodium reabsorption by their vascular effects. However, the exact mechanism is not understood. These interactions are clinically significant and may complicate the treatment of common diseases.

Animals

Influence of antihypertensive drug treatment on morbidity and mortality in patients over the age of 60 years. European Working Party on High blood pressure in the Elderly (EWPHE) results: sub-group analysis on entry stratification.

The European Working Party on High blood pressure in the Elderly (EWPHE) trial was a double-blind randomized placebo-controlled trial of antihypertensive treatment in patients over the age of 60 years. Entry criteria included both a sitting diastolic blood pressure on placebo treatment in the range of 90-119 mmHg and a systolic blood pressure in the range of 160-239 mmHg. Eight-hundred and forty patients were randomly assigned either to active treatment (hydrochlorothiazide + triamterene) or a matching placebo. If blood pressure remained elevated methyldopa was added to the active regimen and matching placebo to the placebo regimen. Before randomization, the patients were stratified in eight strata according to sex, age groups between 60 and 69 years or 70 years and over, and the presence or absence of cardiovascular complications of hypertension. Both the intention-to-treat and 'on randomized treatment' analyses suggested a benefit from active treatment in men and women. Formal statistical significance was achieved for male cardiovascular mortality (intention-to-treat analyses) and for cardiovascular events in females. Although the event rates were greater for patients with previous cardiovascular events and patients over the age of 70 years, the percentage reduction in cardiovascular events was similar in these groups to those without complications and in patients between 60 and 69 years of age. However, little benefit from treatment could be demonstrated in patients over the age of 80 years. The presence or absence of smoking had no influence on response to treatment in these elderly patients.

Aged

Mortality and morbidity results from the European Working Party on High Blood Pressure in the Elderly trial.

A double-blind randomised placebo-controlled trial of antihypertensive treatment was conducted in patients over the age of 60. Entry criteria included both a sitting diastolic blood pressure on placebo treatment in the range 90-119 mm Hg and a systolic pressure in the range 160-239 mm Hg. 840 patients were randomised either to active treatment (hydrochlorothiazide + triamterene) or to matching placebo. If the blood pressure remained raised, methyldopa was added to the active regimen and matching placebo in the placebo group. An overall intention-to-treat analysis, combining the double-blind part of the trial and all subsequent follow-up, revealed a non-significant change in total mortality rate (-9%, p = 0.41) but a significant reduction in cardiovascular mortality rate (-27%, p = 0.037). The latter was due to a reduction in cardiac mortality (-38%, p = 0.036) and a non-significant decrease in cerebrovascular mortality (-32%, p = 0.16). In the double-blind part of the trial, total mortality rate was not significantly reduced (-26%, p = 0.077). 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). 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.

Actuarial Analysis

Influence of hypotensive drug treatment in elderly hypertensives: study terminating events in the trial of the European Working Party on High Blood Pressure in the Elderly.

The European Working Party on High Blood Pressure in the Elderly (EWPHE) trial was a double-blind randomized placebo-controlled trial of antihypertensive treatment in patients over the age of 60 years. Entry criteria included both a sitting diastolic blood pressure on placebo treatment in the range 90-119 mmHg and a systolic blood pressure in the range of 160-239 mmHg. The patients (n = 840) were randomized either to active treatment (hydrochlorothiazide + triamterene) or matching placebo. If the blood pressure remained elevated, methyldopa was added to the active regimen and matching placebo in the placebo group. An overall intention-to-treat analysis, combining the double-blind part of the trial and all subsequent follow-up, revealed a non-significant change in total mortality rate (-9%, P = 0.41) but a significant reduction of cardiovascular mortality rate (-27%, P = 0.037). The latter was due to a reduction of cardiac mortality (-38%, P = 0.036) and to a non-significant decrease of cerebrovascular mortality (-32%, P = 0.16). In the double-blind part of the trial, total mortality rate was not significantly reduced (-26%, P = 0.077). Cardiovascular mortality was reduced in the actively treated group (-38%, P = 0.023), due to a reduction of cardiac deaths (-47%, P = 0.048) and to a non-significant decrease of cerebrovascular mortality (-43%, P = 0.15). Deaths from myocardial infarction were reduced (-60%, P = 0.043). Study-terminating morbid cardiovascular events were significantly reduced by active treatment (-60%, P = 0.0064). In the patients randomized to active treatment there were 14 fewer cardiovascular deaths per 1000 patient-years during the double-blind part of the trial. Version 3.

Aged

Glucose intolerance during diuretic therapy. Results of trial by the European Working Party on Hypertension in the Elderly.

119 elderly, hypertensive patients were followed-up for 1 year and 48 for 2 years in a double-blind, randomised, controlled trial in which they received either placebo or 25-50 mg hydrochlorothiazide and 50-100 mg of triamterene daily. Half of the active treatment group also received 250 mg to 2 g methyldopa daily. After 2 years the active treatment group had an average increase in fasting blood-sugar of 9.6 mg/dl compared with an average fall of 3.1 mg in the placebo group (p less than 0.001). Blood-glucose rose by an average of 26.6 mg/dl in the active group when determined 1 hour after 50 g oral glucose and decreased by an average of 5.3 mg/dl in patients who had been on placebo for two years (p less than 0.05). The hyperglycaemic effect of diuretics appeared to be related to potassium loss since, in both groups, impairment of glucose tolerance was most marked in those in whom the serum-potassium decreased over the 2 years.

Aged

Absorption of nicotine from small cigars.

The absorption of nicotine from cigars was measured in 7 male subjects who each smoked a single small cigar containing 14C-nicotine. The proportion of nicotine in the mainstream smoke delivered to the smoker's mouth was greater than that observed for cigarettes, but the proportion of nicotine in the cigar smoke which was retained by the smoker was about the same. The total dose of nicotine retained varied between 1 and 4.5 mg. Arterial plasma concentrations of nicotine were as high as those achieved by cigarette smoking but rose more slowly. Some nicotine from small cigars is absorbed by inhalation of the smoke into the lungs and some by buccal absorption.

Absorption