Effectiveness versus efficacy of treatment of hypertension for stroke prevention

Abstract

In my presentation today, I am going to describe the population-based research resource with which I work. I will also discuss hypertension, including its relative risk for ischemic stroke, and the prevalence of hypertension and the effect of treatment. I am going to show you that, in spite of the efficacy of treatment for hypertension shown in clinical trials, we can show no evidence of effectiveness of treatment in the whole population and that the incidence of ischemic stroke has declined at least as much in persons without hypertension as in those with hypertension. Then, I will discuss some putative risks that might have a role in this decline.