Actual age-adjusted rates for men aged 45–74 years related to systolic blood pressure (based on age-specific rates in Framingham study). Actual age-adjusted rates for men aged 45–74 years related to systolic blood pressure (based on age-specific rates in Framingham study). The direct age-adjusted rate is the sum of the lower two curves (taken from Ref.16 while the horizontal and vertical straight lines have been added by the author). Spyros Makridakis, and James J DiNicolantonio Open Heart 2014;1:e000048 ©2014 by British Cardiovascular Society