Roundtable discussion: Blood pressure lowering by any means, or do specific medications make a difference?

Abstract

Following a symposium on hypertension sponsored by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute in New York City on January 17, 2001, a panel of the speakers was convened to discuss the topic, "Is it blood pressure lowering alone that accounts for the reduction in morbidity and mortality, or do specific medications or functions make a difference?" Moderating the panel was Dr. Marvin Moser, Clinical Professor of Medicine at Yale University School of Medicine. Participants included Dr. Thomas G. Pickering, Professor of Medicine at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York and Dr. Michael A. Weber, Professor of Medicine at the State University of New York Health Science Center in Brooklyn, New York. Subsequent to this discussion, several treatment trials were reported. The results of these have been added where appropriate.