Diuretics Preferred for Treating Hypertension

"The message is largely unchanged, and the main message is that treating hypertension [high blood pressure] is very necessary," added Dr. Clyde Yancy, president of the AHA. "Treating hypertension with chlorthalidone resulted in a significant reduction in heart failure and stroke."

The original trial, begun in 1994, involved more than 42,000 patients with hypertension and at least one other risk factor for cardiovascular disease. The participants were randomly assigned to take one of the following anti-hypertensive drugs: chlorthalidone (the diuretic), amlodipine besylate (the calcium channel blocker), doxazosin mesylate (the alpha blocker) or lisinopril (an ACE inhibitor).

The 5-year follow-up, which ended in 2002, was intended to see if new differences emerged with long-term use of the medications, especially regarding coronary heart disease, total mortality, heart failure and aggregate cardiovascular disease.

Earlier results from ALLHAT had also found that diuretics were as good or better than other blood pressure-lowering drugs for treating hypertension in patients with metabolic syndrome (a collection of factors that put people at risk of heart disease), especially black patients.