Berry JD, Nambi V, Ambrosius WT, et al. - Intensive systolic blood pressure (SBP) lowering may modify the risk associated with elevated high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hscTnT) and N-terminal pro–B-type natriuretic peptide (NTproBNP) levels.

• This is a nonprespecified post hoc analysis of the Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial randomized clinical trial (wherein 9,361 patients without diabetes with elevated risk for cardiovascular disease were randomized to receive intensive vs standard SBP lowering).

• Intensive SBP lowering resulted in a 4.9% absolute risk reduction (ARR) in death and HF for those with increased hscTnT and a 1.7% ARR for those without elevated levels.

• Similarly, intensive SBP lowering led to a 4.6% ARR in death and HF for those with elevated NTproBNP vs 1.8% in those without elevated levels.

• Overall, in individuals with elevation in both hscTnT and NTproBNP levels, an 8% ARR in HF and mortality was achieved with intensive SBP lowering; whereas a 2% ARR was conferred by the same strategy in those without elevated markers.