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Q: What are the benefits of treating hypertension?
A: In clinical trials, antihypertensive therapy has been associated with reductions in stroke incidence averaging 35–40 percent; myocardial infarction, 20–25 percent; and heart failure, more than 50 percent. It is estimated that in patients like SW with stage 1 hypertension and additional cardiovascular risk factors, achieving a sustained 12 mm Hg reduction in systolic blood pressure over 10 years will prevent 1 death for every 11 patients treated. In the presence of CVD or target organ damage, only 9 patients would require such BP reduction to prevent a death.3
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