ABSTRACT
Stroke is the third most frequent cause of death after cancer and heart disease in developed countries and one of the most common reasons for developing cognitive impairment and vascular dementia (VD) (1). High blood pressure (BP) is a major risk factor for stroke, and a continuous relationship between BP and the occurrence of stroke has been well established (2,3). On the other hand, evidence from hypertension treatment trials has shown that relatively small reductions in BP [5-6 mmHg in diastolic BP (DBP), 10-12mmHg in systolic BP (SBP) over 3-5 years] reduce the risk of stroke by more than one third (4). The primary prevention of stroke through antihypertensive therapy and BP control is well established. Likewise, higher BP levels after stroke increase the risk of recurrent stroke (5), and recent trials indicate that BP reduction with combined antihypertensive therapy is beneficial in reducing stroke recurrence (6).
