Historical footnote

摘要

The Cochrane review of randomised trials of treatment for "mild" hypertension, which found no benefit in drug treatment, prompts two important questions. Why has ittaken more than 30 years to reach a conclusion that was evident from critical reading of the original trials that claimed to justify interventions in the diastolic range 90-100 mm Hg? And how can we get practice on to a more rational footing? In 1983 I was invited to a symposium organised by the World Health Organization-butsponsored by Merck Sharp and Dohme, Ciba-Geigy, and Sandoz-to consideravailable evidence on treatment for hypertension in the diastolic range 90-100 mm Hg.2