Objectives: This study examined the relationship between achieved blood pressure and risk of myocardial infarction among patients treated for hypertension.
Methods: Blood pressure and other cardiovascular risk factors were assessed among 718 myocardial infarction case patients and 2136 matched controls.
Results: Blood pressure level was directly related to risk of myocardial infarction. Patients with treated hypertension who had mild elevations in blood pressure accounted for a larger share of the excess myocardial infarction incidence than those who had higher blood pressure readings.
Conclusions: Achieving normotensive levels in treated hypertensive patients with uncontrolled blood pressure might prevent more than 15% of myocardial infarctions in the treated hypertensive population.