Intensive blood pressure control may reduce the risk of atrial fibrillation (AFib), an irregular heartbeat that can lead to serious complications such as stroke, heart failure and heart attacks, according to a new finding from the NHLBI-funded SPRINT study. Researchers published their findings in the journal Hypertension.
The landmark SPRINT trial, which included more than 8,000 participants, found that intensive blood pressure control (target less than 120 mm Hg) significantly reduced the risk of cardiovascular disease and death. In the new study, the researchers followed participants for up to five years. They found that only 88 AFib cases occurred among the intensive blood pressure control group compared to 118 cases in the standard blood pressure (target less than 140 mm Hg) lowering group. That’s a 26% lower risk of AFib in the intensive group.