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Antihypertensive therapy in the elderly
1Department of Internal Medicine, Ochsner Clinic, New Orleans, Louisiana.
Clinics in Geriatric Medicine
|May 1, 1990
Insights
Arterial hypertension significantly raises cardiovascular risks in older adults. However, antihypertensive therapy can be beneficial for elderly patients if carefully tailored to their specific cardiovascular condition.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Geriatrics
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Arterial hypertension is a major risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.
- The geriatric population is particularly susceptible to the adverse cardiovascular effects of hypertension.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the impact of arterial hypertension on cardiovascular outcomes in the elderly.
- To discuss the benefits and considerations of antihypertensive therapy in geriatric patients.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of recent studies on hypertension in the elderly.
- Analysis of cardiovascular pathophysiology in geriatric hypertensive patients.
Main Results:
- Elderly hypertensive patients experience increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.
- Antihypertensive therapy can improve outcomes in some elderly patients.
Conclusions:
- Antihypertensive treatment is a viable option for select elderly patients.
- Therapeutic strategies must be individualized to address the unique cardiovascular profiles of older adults.
Abstract:
Recent studies have documented that arterial hypertension increases cardiovascular morbidity and mortality even in the geriatric population. Some elderly hypertensive patients, like younger patients, can benefit from antihypertensive therapy. Antihypertensive therapy should be carefully adjusted to suit the cardiovascular pathophysiology of elderly patients.