Effect of initial antihypertensive combination therapy on primary stroke prevention

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality globally, as the result of a high prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors and a failure to control them (1-4). Hypertension is considered the most important cardiovascular risk factor because of its very high prevalence, with at least 1 billion adults affected worldwide (2), and the direct and linear relationship between blood pressure and cardiovascular events (5). Hypertension is associated with an estimated 9.4 million deaths every year; it is responsible for at least 45% of deaths due to heart disease, and 51% of deaths due to stroke worldwide (1,2).