Regular monitoring of blood pressure reduces the risk of atrial fibrillation

The risk of atrial fibrillation, an irregular heartbeat that can lead to serious complications such as stroke, heart failure and heart attacks due to hypertension, could be reduced by applying intensive blood pressure control, according to a study conducted by scientists at Wake Forest School of Medicine.

The study published in the journal Hypertension from the American Heart Association reports that people with a systolic blood pressure of 140 have a 26% increased risk of atrial fibrillation compared to those with a systolic blood pressure below 120. According to the study’s lead author, Elsayed Z. Soliman, professor of epidemiology and prevention at Wake Forest School of Medicine, “This is the first evidence from a randomized controlled trial that has shown a benefit in reducing the risk of atrial fibrillation following aggressive control of blood pressure to a target below 120 mmHg.”

A test carried out on more than 8,000 people

The research used data available with the SPRINT (Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial) trial collected by the NIH, the US National Institute of Health, which includes blood pressure readings from 8,022 participants randomized to one of two groups with blood pressure less than 140 or less than 120 mm Hg. For allocation, 4,003 participants were placed in the group that received intensive blood pressure control measures, and 4,019 participants were kept in the other groups who received standard blood pressure reduction measures (target less than 140 mm Hg).

This study is based on analysis of participants’ health records for up to five years and found that only 88 cases of atrial fibrillation occurred in the group who underwent intensive blood pressure control measures, while 118 cases occurred in the group that underwent standard blood pressure control measures.

According to the researchers, the results obtained show that the administration of intensive blood pressure reduction measures certainly reduces the risk of atrial fibrillation, regardless of gender, race or blood pressure levels. For Elsayed Soliman, “hypertension is the most common modifiable risk factor for atrial fibrillation. And now we have a potential pathway to prevention.”

An evolution of health policy in the United States

The researchers had started their study in 2015 and it turned out to be a milestone. It was designed to better understand the influence of intensive blood pressure control on cardiovascular health. The results showed that such treatment effectively reduced the risk of atrial fibrillation and subsequent death. Based on the results of this study, the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology have since updated their clinical guidelines for high blood pressure.

Below, our Q&A program on atrial fibrillation: