Table 2.
Overview of included trials
| Study, year (reference) | Comparisons (initial drug-dosages) | Sample size (total, included in analysis) | Age group (years) | Follow-up (mean, years) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VA II 1970 [43] | Hydrochlorothiazide (50 mg/day) + reserpine (0.1 mg/day) + hydralazine hydrochloride (25 mg/day) vs. placebo | 380 | 30 to 73 | 3.3 |
| Oslo hypertension study 1980 [27] | Hydrochlorothiazide (50 mg/day) vs. no treatment | 785 | 40 to 49 | 5.5 |
| EWPHE 1985 [44] | Hydrochlorothiazide (25 mg/day) + triamteren (50 mg/day) vs. placebo | 840 | > 60 | 4.7 |
| Coope 1986 [45] | Atenolol (100 mg/day) or bendrofluazide (5 mg/day) vs. no treatment | 884 | 60 to 79 | 4.4 |
| HAPPHY 1987 [28] | Bendroflumethiazide (5 mg/day) or hydrochlorothiazide (50 mg/day) vs. atenolol (100 mg/day) or metoprolol 200 mg/day) | 6,569 | 40 to 64 | 3.8 |
| STOP 1 1991 [46] | Atenolol (50 mg/day) or HCTZ (25 mg/day) (add-on drugs: amiloride (2.5 mg/day) or metoprolol (100 mg/day) or pindolol (5 mg/day)) vs. placebo | 1,627 | 70 to 84 | 2 |
| SHEP 1991 [26] | Chlortalidone (12.5 mg/day) vs. placebo | 4,736 | > 60 | 4.5 |
| MRC 2 1992 [29] | Hydrochlorothiazide+amiloride (25 + 2.5 mg/day) vs. atenolol (50 mg/day) vs. placebo | 4,396 | 65 to 74 | 5.8 |
| SYST-EUR 1997 [47] | Nitrendipine (10 mg/day) vs. placebo | 4,695 | > 60 | 4 |
| Sun 1997 [25] | Nitrendipine (10 mg/day) (starting dose: 10 mg × 3, reduced to 10 mg × 1) vs. usual care | 2,080 | > 15 | 4.7 |
| CAPPP 1999 [30] | Captopril (50 mg/day) vs. atenolol (50 to 100 mg/day) or metoprolol (50 to 100 mg/day) or hydrochlorothiazide (25 mg/day) or bendroflumethiazide (2.5 mg/day) | 10,985 | 25 to 66 | 6.1 |
| NICS-EH 1999 [31] | Nicardipine (20 mg × 2/day) vs. Trichlormethiazide (2 mg/day) | 414 | ≥ 60 | 4.6 (nicardipine group) and 3.9 (trichlormethia-zide group) |
| STOP-2 1999 [32] | Atenolol (50 mg/day) or metoprolol (100 mg/day) or pindolol (5 mg/day) or hydrochlorothiazide (25 mg/day)+amilorid (2.5 mg/day) vs. enalapril (10 mg/day) or lisinopril (10 mg/day) vs. felodipine (2.5 mg/day) or isradipine (2.5 mg/day) | 6,614 | 70 to 84 | 4 to 6 |
| ALLHAT 2000, 2002 [10,33] | Doxazosine (2 mg/day) vs. chlorthalidone (12.5 mg/day) vs. amlodipine (2.5 mg/day) vs. lisinopril (10 mg/day) | 42,424 | > 55 | 4.9 for chlorthalidone vs. amlodipine vs. lisinopril. 3.3 (median) for chlorthalidone vs. doxazosine |
| NORDIL 2000 [34] | Diltiazem (180 to 360 mg/day) vs. thiazide (not specified) or beta-blocker (not specified) | 10,881 | 50 to 74 | 4.5 |
| INSIGHT 2000 [35] | Nifedipine (30 mg/day) vs. hydrochlorothiazide (25 mg/day)+amilorid (2.5 mg/day) | 6,321 | 55 to 80 | ~3.5 |
| LIFE 2002 [36] | Losartan (50 mg/day) vs. atenolol (50 mg/day) | 9,193 | 55 to 80 | 4.8 |
| ANBP 2 2003 [37] | ACE-inhibitor (unspecified type and dosage) vs. thiazide-diuretic (unspecified type and dosage) | 6,083 | 65 to 84 | 4.1 |
| CONVINCE 2003 [38] | Verapamil (180 mg/day) vs. atenolol (50 mg/day) or hydrochlorothiazide (12.5 mg/day) | 16,602 | > 55 | 3 |
| HYVET-PILOT 2003 [39] | Lisinopril (2.5 mg/day) vs. bendroflumethiazide (2.5 mg/day) vs. no treatment | 857 | > 80 | 1.1 |
| SHELL 2003 [40] | Chlorthalidone (12.5 mg/day) vs. lacidipine (4 mg/day) | 1,882 | > 60 | 2.7 (median) |
| VALUE 2004 [49] | Valsartan (80 mg/day) vs. amlodipine (5 mg/day) | 15,245 | > 50 | 4.2 |
| E-COST 2005 [41] | Candesartan (4 or 8 mg/day) vs. "conventional based regimen" | 1,630 | 35 to 79 | 3.1 |
| CASE-J 2008 [42] | Candesartan (8 mg/day) vs. amlodipine (5 mg/day) | 4,703 | 63.8 (mean) | 3.2 |
| HYVET 2008 [48] | Indapamid (1.5 mg/day) vs. placebo | 3,845 | ≥ 80 | 2.1 |