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type=\u0022text\/css\u0022 rel=\u0022stylesheet\u0022 href=\u0022\/\/d282kpwvnogo5m.cloudfront.net\/sites\/default\/files\/cdn\/css\/http\/css_Xg7z6oCTVgud_Q0huYz9x9iiD5H_2YPSJ5z2ZViSWdY.css\u0022 media=\u0022all\u0022 \/\u003E\n\u003Clink rel=\u0027stylesheet\u0027 type=\u0027text\/css\u0027 href=\u0027\/sites\/all\/modules\/contrib\/panels\/plugins\/layouts\/onecol\/onecol.css\u0027 \/\u003E\u003C\/head\u003E\u003Cbody\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022panels-ajax-tab-panel panels-ajax-tab-panel-sageoa-tab-art\u0022\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022panel-display panel-1col clearfix\u0022 \u003E\n  \u003Cdiv class=\u0022panel-panel panel-col\u0022\u003E\n    \u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022panel-pane pane-highwire-markup\u0022 \u003E\n  \n      \n  \n  \u003Cdiv class=\u0022pane-content\u0022\u003E\n    \u003Cdiv class=\u0022highwire-markup\u0022\u003E\u003Cdiv xmlns=\u0022http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xhtml\u0022 id=\u0022content-block-markup\u0022 xmlns:xhtml=\u0022http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xhtml\u0022\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022article fulltext-view \u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022highwire-journal-article-marker-start\u0022\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022section abstract\u0022 id=\u0022abstract-1\u0022\u003E\u003Ch2\u003ESummary\u003C\/h2\u003E\n            \u003Cp id=\u0022p-1\u0022\u003EThe Scandinavian Candesartan Acute Stroke Trial [SCAST; \u003Ca class=\u0022external-ref external-ref-type-clintrialgov\u0022 href=\u0022\/lookup\/external-ref?link_type=CLINTRIALGOV\u0026amp;access_num=NCT00120003\u0026amp;atom=%2Fspmdc%2F11%2F1%2F11.atom\u0022\u003ENCT00120003\u003C\/a\u003E] showed that routine blood pressure (BP)-lowering treatment in patients with acute stroke and elevated BP had no benefit and could have a potentially harmful effect.\u003C\/p\u003E\n         \u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cul class=\u0022kwd-group\u0022\u003E\u003Cli class=\u0022kwd\u0022\u003ECerebrovascular Disease\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli class=\u0022kwd\u0022\u003EHypertensive Disease Clinical Trials\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022p-2\u0022\u003EElse C. Sandset, MD, Oslo University Hospital, Ullev\u00e5l, Oslo, Norway, presented the results of the Scandinavian Candesartan Acute Stroke Trial (SCAST; \u003Ca class=\u0022external-ref external-ref-type-clintrialgov\u0022 href=\u0022\/lookup\/external-ref?link_type=CLINTRIALGOV\u0026amp;access_num=NCT00120003\u0026amp;atom=%2Fspmdc%2F11%2F1%2F11.atom\u0022\u003ENCT00120003\u003C\/a\u003E), which showed that routine blood pressure (BP)-lowering treatment in patients with acute stroke and elevated BP had no benefit and could have a potentially harmful effect.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022p-3\u0022\u003ESCAST was a multicenter, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of candesartan in patients (n=2029) with acute stroke and elevated BP. The objective was to assess whether BP-lowering with candesartan was beneficial in the setting of acute stroke. Adult patients with a clinical diagnosis of stroke (ischemic or hemorrhagic) and systolic BP \u2265140 mm Hg for whom treatment was possible within 30 hours of the onset of symptoms were eligible for inclusion.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022p-4\u0022\u003ESubjects were randomly assigned to candesartan (n=1017) or placebo (n=1012) for 7 days. The dose of candesartan increased from 4 mg on Day 1 to 16 mg on Days 3 to 7. Treatment during the follow-up period was at the discretion of the clinician. BP was monitored daily during the treatment phase and during the follow-up visits at 1, 3, and 6 months. The coprimary endpoints were: a composite vascular endpoint, comprising vascular death, myocardial infarction (MI), and stroke during the first 6 months; and functional outcome at 6 months, as measured by modified Rankin Scale. To adjust for the use of two coprimary effect variables, a p-value of 0.025 or 0.05 was required for one or both variables, respectively, for the results to be considered significant.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022p-5\u0022\u003ESubjects had a mean age of 71 years and a mean BP at baseline of 171\/90 mm Hg. Mean duration of symptoms prior to inclusion was 18 hours. Ischemic stroke was present in 85% of subjects; hemorrhagic stroke was present in 14%. Over the 7-day treatment period, BP was significantly lower among patients who received candesartan, with a mean BP of 147\/82 mm Hg, versus 152\/84 mm Hg in the placebo group (p\u0026lt;0.001). BP reduction was observed as early as Day 2.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022p-6\u0022\u003EThere was no difference in the composite vascular endpoint of vascular death, MI, and stroke (\u003Ca id=\u0022xref-fig-1-1\u0022 class=\u0022xref-fig\u0022 href=\u0022#F1\u0022\u003EFigure 1\u003C\/a\u003E). There was also no difference in the coprimary endpoint of functional outcome, although there was a consistent shift in all categories of the modified Rankin Scale in favor of placebo (adjusted common OR, 1.17; 95% CI, 1.00 to 1.38; p=0.048; \u003Ca id=\u0022xref-fig-2-1\u0022 class=\u0022xref-fig\u0022 href=\u0022#F2\u0022\u003EFigure 2\u003C\/a\u003E). Across all secondary endpoints, there was a nonsignificant increased risk in the candesartan-treated group. For stroke progression (6% of subjects in the candesartan group and 4% of placebo subjects), the relative risk was 1.47 (95% CI, 1.01 to 2.13; p=0.04).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv id=\u0022F1\u0022 class=\u0022fig pos-float  odd\u0022\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022highwire-figure\u0022\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022fig-inline-img-wrapper\u0022\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022fig-inline-img\u0022\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/d282kpwvnogo5m.cloudfront.net\/content\/spmdc\/11\/1\/11\/F1.large.jpg?width=800\u0026amp;height=600\u0026amp;carousel=1\u0022 title=\u0022Composite Vascular Endpoint: Vascular Death, MI, or Stroke.\u0022 class=\u0022fragment-images colorbox-load\u0022 rel=\u0022gallery-fragment-images-2066504956\u0022 data-figure-caption=\u0022Composite Vascular Endpoint: Vascular Death, MI, or Stroke.\u0022 data-icon-position=\u0022\u0022 data-hide-link-title=\u00220\u0022\u003E\u003Cimg class=\u0022fragment-image\u0022 alt=\u0022Figure 1.\u0022 src=\u0022http:\/\/d282kpwvnogo5m.cloudfront.net\/content\/spmdc\/11\/1\/11\/F1.medium.gif\u0022\/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cul class=\u0022highwire-figure-links inline\u0022\u003E\u003Cli class=\u00220 first\u0022\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/d282kpwvnogo5m.cloudfront.net\/content\/spmdc\/11\/1\/11\/F1.large.jpg?download=true\u0022 class=\u0022highwire-figure-link highwire-figure-link-download\u0022 title=\u0022Download Figure 1.\u0022 data-icon-position=\u0022\u0022 data-hide-link-title=\u00220\u0022\u003EDownload figure\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli class=\u00221\u0022\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/d282kpwvnogo5m.cloudfront.net\/content\/spmdc\/11\/1\/11\/F1.large.jpg\u0022 class=\u0022highwire-figure-link highwire-figure-link-newtab\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 data-icon-position=\u0022\u0022 data-hide-link-title=\u00220\u0022\u003EOpen in new tab\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli class=\u00222 last\u0022\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022\/highwire\/powerpoint\/12224\u0022 class=\u0022highwire-figure-link highwire-figure-link-ppt\u0022 data-icon-position=\u0022\u0022 data-hide-link-title=\u00220\u0022\u003EDownload powerpoint\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022fig-caption attrib\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022fig-label\u0022\u003EFigure 1.\u003C\/span\u003E \n            \u003Cp id=\u0022p-7\u0022 class=\u0022first-child\u0022\u003EComposite Vascular Endpoint: Vascular Death, MI, or Stroke.\u003C\/p\u003E\n         \u003Cq class=\u0022attrib\u0022 id=\u0022attrib-1\u0022\u003EReproduced with permission from E. Sandset, MD.\u003C\/q\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022sb-div caption-clear\u0022\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv id=\u0022F2\u0022 class=\u0022fig pos-float  odd\u0022\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022highwire-figure\u0022\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022fig-inline-img-wrapper\u0022\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022fig-inline-img\u0022\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/d282kpwvnogo5m.cloudfront.net\/content\/spmdc\/11\/1\/11\/F2.large.jpg?width=800\u0026amp;height=600\u0026amp;carousel=1\u0022 title=\u0022Functional Outcome (mRS).\u0022 class=\u0022fragment-images colorbox-load\u0022 rel=\u0022gallery-fragment-images-2066504956\u0022 data-figure-caption=\u0022Functional Outcome (mRS).\u0022 data-icon-position=\u0022\u0022 data-hide-link-title=\u00220\u0022\u003E\u003Cimg class=\u0022fragment-image\u0022 alt=\u0022Figure 2.\u0022 src=\u0022http:\/\/d282kpwvnogo5m.cloudfront.net\/content\/spmdc\/11\/1\/11\/F2.medium.gif\u0022\/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cul class=\u0022highwire-figure-links inline\u0022\u003E\u003Cli class=\u00220 first\u0022\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/d282kpwvnogo5m.cloudfront.net\/content\/spmdc\/11\/1\/11\/F2.large.jpg?download=true\u0022 class=\u0022highwire-figure-link highwire-figure-link-download\u0022 title=\u0022Download Figure 2.\u0022 data-icon-position=\u0022\u0022 data-hide-link-title=\u00220\u0022\u003EDownload figure\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli class=\u00221\u0022\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/d282kpwvnogo5m.cloudfront.net\/content\/spmdc\/11\/1\/11\/F2.large.jpg\u0022 class=\u0022highwire-figure-link highwire-figure-link-newtab\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 data-icon-position=\u0022\u0022 data-hide-link-title=\u00220\u0022\u003EOpen in new tab\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli class=\u00222 last\u0022\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022\/highwire\/powerpoint\/12225\u0022 class=\u0022highwire-figure-link highwire-figure-link-ppt\u0022 data-icon-position=\u0022\u0022 data-hide-link-title=\u00220\u0022\u003EDownload powerpoint\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022fig-caption attrib\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022fig-label\u0022\u003EFigure 2.\u003C\/span\u003E \n            \u003Cp id=\u0022p-8\u0022 class=\u0022first-child\u0022\u003EFunctional Outcome (mRS).\u003C\/p\u003E\n         \u003Cq class=\u0022attrib\u0022 id=\u0022attrib-2\u0022\u003EReproduced with permission from E. Sandset, MD.\u003C\/q\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022sb-div caption-clear\u0022\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022p-9\u0022\u003EThere was no evidence of a differential effect in any of the subgroup analyses (eg, stroke subtype, systolic BP, duration of symptoms, history of hypertension), with the exception of a trend that favored candesartan in subjects with a symptom duration \u0026lt;6 hours for the composite vascular endpoint.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022p-10\u0022\u003EThe results of SCAST were confirmed by a meta-analysis of clinical trials of BP-lowering in acute stroke, comprising more than 100 subjects.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul class=\u0022copyright-statement\u0022\u003E\u003Cli class=\u0022fn\u0022 id=\u0022copyright-statement-1\u0022\u003E\u00a9 2011 MD Conference Express\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022highwire-journal-article-marker-end\u0022\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cspan id=\u0022related-urls\u0022\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/mdc.sagepub.com\/content\/11\/1\/11.abstract\u0022 class=\u0022hw-link hw-link-article-abstract\u0022 data-icon-position=\u0022\u0022 data-hide-link-title=\u00220\u0022\u003EView Summary\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E  \u003C\/div\u003E\n\n  \n  \u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n  \u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cscript type=\u0022text\/javascript\u0022 src=\u0022http:\/\/mdc.sagepub.com\/sites\/all\/modules\/highwire\/highwire\/plugins\/highwire_markup_process\/js\/highwire_figures.js?nzn4bp\u0022\u003E\u003C\/script\u003E\n\u003Cscript type=\u0022text\/javascript\u0022 src=\u0022http:\/\/mdc.sagepub.com\/sites\/all\/modules\/highwire\/highwire\/plugins\/highwire_markup_process\/js\/highwire_openurl.js?nzn4bp\u0022\u003E\u003C\/script\u003E\n\u003C\/body\u003E\u003C\/html\u003E"}