Discontinuation of anti-hypertensive drugs increases 11-year cardiovascular mortality risk in community-dwelling elderly (the Bambuí Cohort Study of Ageing)

Table 3 **Estimated*cardiovascular mortality rate ratios (95% confidence interval) by systolic blood pressure levels and duration of antihypertensive drug (AHD) discontinuation**

Systolic blood pressure (mmHg)	Duration of AHD discontinuation
Systolic blood pressure (mmHg)	< 1 year	1-2 years	≥ 2 years
<120	3.94 (2.12,7.35)	2.29 (0.82,6.41)	0.97 (0.35,2.66)
120 - 139	4.57 (2.53,8.25)	3.40 (1.53,7.54)	1.25 (0.55,2.80)
≥ 140	4.15 (2.19,7.88)	6.32 (3.35,11.93)	3.06 (1.64,5.69)
Total	4.27 (2.95,6.19)	4.11 (2.62,6.44)	1.75 (1.13,2.71)

*Using generalised linear Poisson model with a robust estimator of standard error. The model included terms for gender, time-dependent terms for age, systolic blood pressure and AHD use, and terms for baseline educational level, conjugal status, monthly family income, smoking, alcohol consumption, history of coronary heart disease, self-rated health, waist circumference, and plasma levels of LDL-cholesterol, glucose, triglycerides, HDL-cholesterol, uric acid and C-reactive protein. Current AHD users are the reference group.

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