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Atherosclerosis, arterial stiffness and antihypertensive drug therapy

Michel E Safar1, Harold Smulyan

  • 1The Diagnosis Center, Hôtel-Dieu Hospital, Paris , France.

Advances in Cardiology
|November 1, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Elderly hypertension and aortic stiffness increase cardiovascular risks. Specific drug therapies are needed to selectively reduce systolic blood pressure (SBP) in older adults with atherosclerosis.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular aging and geriatrics
  • Vascular medicine and hypertension

Background:

  • Increased aortic stiffness is a hallmark of cardiovascular (CV) aging, prevalent in elderly individuals, with or without hypertension.
  • Hypertension and arterial stiffness are independent risk factors for CV events, often exacerbated by atherosclerosis in older populations.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the necessity of specific drug therapy for systolic hypertension in elderly patients with atherosclerosis.
  • To identify antihypertensive strategies that specifically target and reduce systolic blood pressure (SBP) in this demographic.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review and analysis of current therapeutic guidelines.
  • Discussion of pharmacological approaches for managing hypertension and atherosclerosis in the elderly.

Main Results:

  • Systolic hypertension in elderly patients with atherosclerosis presents a complex challenge.
  • Current treatments often require addressing comorbidities like hypercholesterolemia and hyperglycemia.

Conclusions:

  • The primary challenge lies in identifying antihypertensive medications that selectively reduce SBP without adverse effects.
  • Further research is needed to develop targeted therapies for systolic hypertension in elderly individuals with atherosclerosis.

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