[Perspectives on treatment of hypertension in elderly patients]

Hypertension increases in prevalence with age. Population-based studies suggest that more than 50% of people over the age of 65 years may have chronic hypertension, defined as blood pressure (BP) > or = 140/90 mmHg. Hypertension, especially systolic hypertension, is the most common, powerful, however treatable risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in the elderly. Large randomised trials have demonstrated that treating elderly and even very old persons (age > 80 years) is highly efficacious. A recent meta-analysis, comparing active treatment with placebo in isolated systolic hypertension demonstrated highly significant benefits: stroke was reduced by 30%, coronary heart disease events by 23%, all cardiovascular events by 26%, and cardiovascular deaths by 13%. The classic strategy of an initial thiazide or thiazide-like diuretic therapy has been verified by the most recent trials. Furthermore it is not appropriate to limit the choice of initial drugs for hypertensive older individuals to a single class of agents, since so many older people have other medical problems that affect this decision and reaching the target blood pressure is the determinant factor for cardiovascular risk reduction. Therefore single drug therapy with long-acting (dihydropyridine-type) calcium-antagonists, beta-blockers, angiotensin-converting-enzyme-inhibitors or angiotensin-receptor-blockers is justified with respect to individual efficacy and comorbidity. If a combination of antihypertensive drugs is needed to reach blood pressure goal, thiazides remain the cornerstone. First line therapy with an alpha-blocker is no longer recommended, even for men with hypertension and benign prostatic hypertrophy. Today, recommended blood pressure goals are the same for younger individuals and the elderly.