<div class=""><h4>BACKGROUND: </h4><br>We evaluated the warranty period <br>of a normal stress myocardial perfusion single-photon emission computed <br>tomography (MPS) in hypertensive patients.<br><h4>METHODS AND RESULTS: </h4><br>A<br> total of 471 consecutive hypertensive patients with suspected coronary <br>artery disease and normal perfusion at stress MPS were followed for a <br>mean of 76 ± 21 months. Endpoint events were cardiac death or nonfatal <br>myocardial infarction. With Cox analysis, age (hazard ratio 1.1, <br>P < .005) and stress test type (hazard ratio 2.7, P < .005) were <br>independent predictors of events. With parametric Weibull analysis, <br>patients ≤60 years old undergoing exercise stress test remained at low <br>risk for the entire length of follow-up, while the highest probability <br>of events and the major risk acceleration were observed in <br>those > 60 years old who underwent pharmacologic stress test. In <br>patients undergoing exercise test, peak systolic blood pressure (BP; <br>hazard ratio 1.1, P < .005) emerged as predictor of events, and only <br>subjects with peak systolic BP < 160 mmHg remained at low risk for <br>the entire length of follow-up. In contrast, for patients with peak <br>systolic BP ≥180 mmHg, the time to achieve a cumulative cardiac risk <br>level of 3% was 18 months.<br><h4>CONCLUSIONS: </h4><br>In hypertensive <br>patients, the warranty period of a normal stress MPS varies according to<br> stress type and peak systolic BP. A normal stress MPS can be considered<br> reassuring in subjects ≤60 years old who performed exercise stress test<br> and a peak systolic BP < 160 mmHg.<br>