The Japanese Trial to Assess Optimal Systolic Blood Pressure in Elderly Hypertensive Patients (JATOS)

INTERVENTION: A strict treatment to maintain systolic blood pressure below 140 mmHg. A mild treatment to maintain systolic blood presure 140 mmHg or higher but below 160 mmHg. CONDITION: Essential hypertension PRIMARY OUTCOME: Primary endpoints were cerebrovascular disease (cerebral hemorrhage, cerebral infarction, transient ischemic attack, subarachnoid hemorrhage, and other types of cerebrovascular disease), cardiac disease (myocardial infarction, angina pectoris requiring hospitalization, and heart failure), vascular disease (dissecting aneurysms of the aorta and occlusive arterial disease), and renal failure (acute or chronic renal failure; doubling of the serum concentration of creatinine to a value of 1.5 mg/dl or higher). SECONDARY OUTCOME: Secondary endpoints were deaths from any causes other than the primary endpoints, and any problems in safety. INCLUSION CRITERIA: The subjects were male or female outpatients 65 to 85 years of age with essential hypertension who persistently had a systolic blood pressure of 160 mmHg or higher during a run‐in period, while receiving no antihypertensive drugs or while receiving the same drug(s) for at least 4 weeks.