Hypertension

Blood pressure variability and cardiovascular events in high-risk individuals: individual patient data analysis of SPRINT and ACCORD trials

Eur Heart JPublished Individual patient data pooled analysis of the SPRINT and ACCORD randomised trials

Pooled result · MCEsResult — go to the resultHazard ratio 1.15 95% CI 1.00–1.32

Authors' conclusion

Visit-to-visit BPV was independently associated with the risk of MCEs, particularly myocardial infarction and cardiovascular death, with a J-shaped relationship indicating that both low and high BPV may be harmful.

Study context

Population
High-risk individuals in the SPRINT and ACCORD trials with ≥3 visits
Participants
18,415 individuals · 2 RCTs
Comparison
Highest vs lowest tertile of visit-to-visit SBP variability
Outcome
Major cardiovascular events:
  • MI
  • Stroke
  • CV death
Follow-up
3.6-year follow-up
Methodological detailspatient-level pooled analysis
  • Patient-level pooled analysis

Pooled result

MCEs

Hazard ratio

1.15

95% CI 1.00–1.32

Highest tertile vs Lowest tertile
HR 1.15 (95% CI 1.00–1.32)

As reported in the abstract

Major cardiovascular events (MCEs) overall
1244 (6.8%)

Further pooled results

MI and CV death

Similar associations with higher SBP-VIM

Shape of SBP-VIM–outcome relationship

J-shaped relationship
all P < .05

Prognostic value vs mean SBP

SBP-VIM comparable to mean SBP; consistent across blood pressure variability (BPV) metrics, stronger with extended follow-up

Original publication

Blood pressure variability and cardiovascular events in high-risk individuals: individual patient data analysis of SPRINT and ACCORD trials. Eur Heart J. Published 14 May 2026. doi:10.1093/eurheartj/ehag330

Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it

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