Dataset related to article "ANTIHYPERTENSIVE DRUGS FOR SECONDARY PREVENTION AFTER ISCHEMIC STROKE OR TRANSIENT ISCHEMIC ATTACK"

we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis in order to summarize the current evidence on blood pressure (BP)-lowering drugs for secondary prevention in patients with ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack. We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials up to January 31, 2020. We included randomized controlled trials comparing any specific BP-lowering drug, as monotherapy or combination, with either a control or another BP-lowering drug. Eight studies that enrolled 33 774 patients with ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack were included in the meta-analysis. Primary outcomes were all-cause mortality and the proportion of patients who developed a stroke following BP-lowering drug use, irrespective of its nature (ischemic or hemorrhagic) and severity. Secondary outcomes included the proportion of patients who developed an ischemic stroke; an ischemic stroke or TIA irrespective of severity; a hemorrhagic stroke, defined as an acute extravasation of blood into and around the brain parenchyma (subdural hematoma and epidural hematoma were excluded); a cardiovascular event defined as any sudden death, fatal or nonfatal acute coronary syndrome, stroke, intracranial hemorrhage, or pulmonary embolism; a fatal cardiovascular event defined as any death due to any vascular cause, including unexplained sudden death; and serious adverse events of hypotension, syncope, injurious falls, electrolyte abnormalities, bradycardia, or acute renal failure. We recorded the outcomes at the longest available follow-up for all analyses. We considered the following potential sources of heterogeneity (effect modifiers): inclusion limited to hypertensive patients (normotensive and hypertensive patients versus hypertensive patients only) or noncardioembolic ischemic strokes (all ischemic strokes versus noncardioembolic ischemic strokes only), time from the index ischemic event to randomization (acute patients treated within the first week versus stabilized patients treated after the first week), and trial risk of bias.