BACKGROUND The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of blood pressure (BP) goals on cardiovascular outcomes in hypertensive patients. METHODS Primary hypertensive patients were retrospectively enrolled from outpatient clinics. The demographics, comorbidities, laboratory parameters and glomerular filtration rate (GFR) were collected. All participants were followed for 1 year. Cardiovascular outcomes included composite of all-cause mortality, non-fatal myocardial infarction, and non-fatal ischemic stroke/transient ischemic attack. Adverse event was defined as falling down and GFR decrease at follow-up. RESULTS A total of 1226 patients were included. Based on therapeutic BP goals, participants were divided into low (< 130/80 mm Hg) and high (< 140/90 mm Hg) therapeutic goal groups and an uncontrolled hypertension (≥ 140/90 mm Hg) group. Compared to the low therapeutic goal group, patients in the uncontrolled group were older and more likely to be smokers, have longer duration of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, lower GFR and higher prevalent ischemic stroke (p < 0.05). Patients in the uncontrolled hypertension group had higher incidence of composite endpoints than low and high therapeutic goal groups. Two cases of falling down were observed in the low therapeutic goal group and no significant changes in GFR were observed. With adjustment for confounding factors, the uncontrolled hypertension group had higher risk of composite endpoints compared to low and high therapeutic goal groups, and these benefits were more prominent in the low versus high therapeutic goal group. CONCLUSIONS In hypertension patients, when compared to uncontrolled hypertension patients, low therapeutic BP goal is associated with better cardiovascular outcomes than high therapeutic BP goal.