UPDATE ON MULTICENTER CLINICAL-TRIALS IN HYPERTENSION

Multicenter studies provided significant new information in three areas during 1992 to 1993: 1) the relative antihypertensive efficacy and the adverse event profile of six antihypertensive agents in men with mild and moderate hypertension; 2) influence of treatment on the severity and type of strokes experienced by elderly patients treated for isolated systolic hypertension; and 3) the benefits of ''lifestyle modifications,'' ie, nonpharmacologic therapy. Each of the studies considered below was randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled unless otherwise indicated.