Antihypertensive Therapy with Chlorthalidone Increases Longevity, Long-Term Follow-Up Finds

In patients with isolated systolic hypertension, active treatment increases longevity free from cardiovascular death — on average by 1 day for each month of treatment — according to a JAMA study.

Researchers examined long-term survival data from the SHEP trial, in which patients received either chlorthalidone- or placebo-based stepped care for isolated systolic hypertension. The intervention lasted 4.5 years, after which all participants were advised to go on active therapy.

At long-term follow-up some 22 years later, active therapy conferred a gain in life expectancy free from cardiovascular death of roughly 6 months.

The authors say the results send “a strong message that may result in increased patient adherence to drug therapy and decrease the degree of therapeutic inertia by health care providers.”

(Fuente: JAMA)