[Treatment of arterial hypertension in the elderly]

The benefits of treating hypertension in the elderly have been demonstrated in therapeutic trials of patients over 60 years of age. In 1985, the EWPHE study, showing that thiazide diuretics decreased the risk of the main cardiovascular complications in elderly hypertensive patients, opened the field to the demonstration of the preventive efficacy of other classes of antihypertensive drugs. The high level of cardiovascular risk in the elderly explains why the prescription of antihypertensive agents provides a greater benefit in elderly rather than in young hypertensive patients. In the over 80 s', the benefits of lowering the blood pressure have been demonstrated in the prevention of non-fatal complications.