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Body composition in hypertensive elderly and middle-aged patients
11st Department of Medicine, University Medical School of Debrecen, Hungary.
Insights
Hypertension alters body composition differently in elderly men and women. Elderly hypertensive males show decreased fluid volumes, while elderly females exhibit a slight increase in vascular volumes compared to controls.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Cardiovascular Physiology
- Body Composition Analysis
Background:
- Hypertension is a prevalent condition in the elderly, associated with severe health risks.
- Understanding age- and sex-related changes in body composition is crucial for managing hypertension.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of untreated hypertension on body composition in middle-aged and elderly individuals.
- To compare fluid volume changes between hypertensive and control groups, stratified by age and sex.
Main Methods:
- Body composition analysis was performed on 120 control and untreated hypertensive subjects.
- Subjects were categorized by age (middle-aged and elderly) and sex.
- Fluid components, including total blood volume, plasma volume, and vascular volumes, were assessed.
Main Results:
- Middle-aged hypertensive males exhibited increased total blood and plasma volumes compared to controls.
- Elderly hypertensive males showed decreased fluid volumes, with increased total body fat and vascular volumes.
- Elderly hypertensive females displayed similar trends to controls, with a slight increase in vascular volumes compared to middle-aged males.
Conclusions:
- Hypertension-induced body composition changes differ significantly between elderly males and females.
- Fluid distribution in hypertensive elderly individuals is sex-dependent, impacting vascular compartments.
- Further research is needed to elucidate the mechanisms behind these sex-specific alterations.
Abstract:
The occurrence of hypertension, leading to various life-threatening complications in the elderly is a widely recognized problem. The changes of body composition were determined in 120 control and untreated hypertensive subjects of various ages. In middle-aged hypertensive males, the total blood volume and plasma volume increased significantly compared to those of the healthy controls, while this increase was not significant in the case of hypertensive middle-aged females. In contrast, in the elderly hypertensive male subjects, the volume of all fluid components decreased, except the total body fat and the vascular volumes. There was a slight, statistically non-significant, increase in all the vascular volumes except in the red cell mass. The elderly hypertensive females showed the same tendency compared to the healthy controls of the same age. The vascular compartments seem to be decreased in elderly males, compared to those of the middle-aged males, while slightly increased in elderly females.