Hypertension is highly prevalent in the adult population in China, and its burden is rapidly increasing among persons older than 60 years of age. Elevated blood pressure (BP) is an important public health concern which contributes to several adverse health outcomes, especially coronary heart disease, stroke, heart failure, chronic kidney disease, and decline in cognitive function. Clinical trials have shown that a lower systolic blood pressure goal will lead to greater reduction in cardiovascular disease (CVD) incidence, but the effect of intensive treatment of systolic blood pressure below 120 mm Hg in reducing of CVD risk has long been debated. In particularly, among the elderly hypertensive patients aged 60 years or older, the most appropriate targets for blood pressure lowering to reduce cardiovascular events still remain uncertain.~The STEP trial will randomize about 8000 participants aged between 60 and 80 years with SBP≥140 mm Hg and <190 mm Hg, and without a history of atherothrombotic or hemorrhagic stroke. Target SBP goals are 110-130 vs 130-150 mm Hg, respectively. The purpose of the STEP trial is to test whether a treatment program aimed at reducing systolic blood pressure (SBP) to a lower goal (<130 mmHg, intensive treatment) than currently recommended (<150 mmHg, standard treatment) will reduce CVD risk among hypertensive patients between 60-80 years. Participants will be recruited at approximately 40 clinic centers in China within approximately a 1-year period, and will be followed for 4 years. Furthermore, this trial will also examine the effect of blood pressure APP management strategy via WeChat network on medication compliance, blood pressure control and CVD benefits.
The Strategy of Blood Pressure Intervention in the Elderly Hypertensive Patients (STEP) is a 2-arm, multi-center, prospective, randomized, open-labeled, blinded-endpoint trial. The purpose of this trial is to test whether a treatment program aimed at reducing systolic blood pressure (SBP) to a lower goal (<130 mmHg, intensive treatment) than currently recommended (<150 mmHg, standard treatment) will reduce CVD risk among persons between 60-80 years of old. Furthermore, this trial will also examine the effect of blood pressure APP management strategy via WeChat network on medication compliance, blood pressure control and CVD benefits.