HypertensionResearch article
Prevalence and characteristics of patients with coronary heart disease and blood pressure below target: the INTERASPIRE study
- INTERASPIRE study
- standardised interview and examination
- 14 countries from all six WHO regions
Authors' conclusion
More than one-third of INTERASPIRE patients with CHD presented with BP <120/70 mm Hg, which is below target per current European hypertension guidelines. Further research is needed in this population to resolve discordant guideline recommendations and determine whether de-escalation of BP-lowering therapies is beneficial or even harmful in this setting.
Study context
- Population
- Adults hospitalised in the previous 6–24 months with incident or recurrent coronary heart disease (CHD), 2020–202321.1% female
- Participants
- 4,548 adults
- Comparison
- Patients with below-target blood pressure (BP) compared with those at target
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
BP target category · median (IQR) of 1.05 (0.76-1.45) years after index CHD hospitalisation
Further findings
| Outcome | above target | at target | below target | P value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heart failure · more likely with below target | Not reported in the abstract | 10.0% | 13.6% | P = 0.041 |
| Estimated glomerular filtration rate <60 mL/min/1.73 m² · more likely with below target | Not reported in the abstract | 10.7% | 18.9% | P < 0.001 |
| Severe frailty · statistically more likely with below target | P = 0.030 |
Number and cumulative dosing of BP-lowering medications
- The median number of BP-lowering medications did not differ significantly between the 3 BP target groups
- Cumulative dosing in the below-target group not more intensive than in the at-target group
Age
- mean age (±SD)
- 60.0 (±10.3) years
Original publication
Prevalence and characteristics of patients with coronary heart disease and blood pressure below target: the INTERASPIRE study. Heart. Published 26 March 2026. doi:10.1136/heartjnl-2025-327413
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it