2015: "[...] the NIH made the bold announcement that intensive intervention with a combo of three drugs to reach a new target systolic blood pressure of under 120 mm Hg reduced the rate of heart attacks, heart failure and stroke by 30% and cardiovascular deaths by 25%, "
Contrary evidence is available, and there is no clear reason for the confusion.[1]. I have not read any of the studies you cite, though I will take a look as soon as I have the time. From what I have read, blood pressure reducing medication has been shown to reduce blood pressure (at the cost of severe side effects), but not reduce mortality.
2015: "[...] the NIH made the bold announcement that intensive intervention with a combo of three drugs to reach a new target systolic blood pressure of under 120 mm Hg reduced the rate of heart attacks, heart failure and stroke by 30% and cardiovascular deaths by 25%, "
http://www.healthnewsreview.org/2015/09/nih-sprint-study-spa...
http://www.cochrane.org/CD000028/HTN_blood-pressure-lowering...
http://eurheartj.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2012/04/16...
http://www.escardio.org/The-ESC/Press-Office/Press-releases/...
There's more evidence available.