Post-
stroke Antihypertensive Treatment Study (PATS) was a randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled trial, which aimed at determining whether
antihypertensive treatment could reduce the risk of fatal and nonfatal
stroke incidence in patients with a history of
stroke or
transient ischemic attack (TIA). 5,665 patients were randomized by a sealed envelope system. Systolic blood pressure (SBP) ranged from 80 to 280 mm Hg and diastolic (DBP) from 50 to 150 mmHg. The average SBP was 154 mmHg and average DBP 93 mmHg. The mean age was 60 years. Among the patients, women accounted for 28%. In 71% the latest
stroke was ischemic. Average follow-up approximated to 2 years. The three-year average SBP was 149 mmHg for the placebo group and 144 mmHg for the
indapamide treatment group, and the three-year DBP was 89 mmHg and 87 mmHg respectively. The three-year first incidence of fatal and nonfatal
stroke was 12.3 per 100 patients placebo treatment and 9.4 per 100 with
indapamide. The relative risk by proportional hazards regression analysis was 0.71 (P = 0.0009). For deaths from all causes, the relative risk was 0.91. (P > 0.05). The findings of this trial indicate that in patients with a history of
stroke or TIA, blood pressure reduction of 5/2 mmHg with 2.5 mg
indapamide reduced the first incidence of fatal and nonfatal
stroke by 29%, with three-year absolute benefit of 29 events per 1000 participants.