Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 17, 2026

Improved Renal Denervation Mitigated Hypertension Induced by Angiotensin II Infusion
Published on: May 26, 2022
[Treatment of arterial hypertension in the elderly person: unresolved problems]
1Policlinique médicale universitaire, Lausanne.
Insights
Treating diastolic hypertension in the elderly offers limited cardiovascular risk reduction. Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring can improve patient selection, reducing overtreatment and side effects for older adults.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Geriatrics
- Epidemiology
Context:
- Hypertension management in elderly populations presents challenges regarding cardiovascular risk reduction.
- Individual absolute risk reduction from treatment is often modest.
- Epidemiological data suggest limited population-level benefit.
Purpose:
- To evaluate the epidemiological evidence for cardiovascular risk reduction in elderly patients with diastolic hypertension.
- To advocate for improved patient selection strategies in hypertension management.
- To minimize overtreatment and associated adverse effects.
Summary:
- Current evidence indicates that treating diastolic hypertension in the elderly yields minimal significant cardiovascular risk reduction at a population level.
- Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) is recommended to accurately diagnose hypertension and identify white coat hypertension, thereby optimizing treatment decisions.
- This approach aims to identify elderly hypertensive patients most likely to benefit from pharmacological intervention, reducing unnecessary treatment and potential side effects.
Impact:
- Widespread adoption of ABPM can lead to more precise patient selection for antihypertensive therapy in older adults.
- Reduced overtreatment can decrease medication-related side effects, including coronary morbidity and mortality.
- Optimized treatment strategies enhance the benefit-risk ratio for elderly patients with hypertension.
Abstract:
There is not increasing evidence that, from an epidemiological stand-point, treatment of diastolic hypertension in the elderly leads to a significant cardiovascular risk reduction; however, for the individual patient, the magnitude of absolute risk reduction is relatively small. More widespread use of ambulatory blood pressure recording is suggested in order to improve patient selection - i.e. to avoid antihypertensive treatment in patients with white coat hypertension - and to prevent overtreatment in patients with established hypertension. This strategy should result in a selection of elderly, hypertensive patients who are more likely to benefit from pharmacological treatment and thus restrict the number of patients needing treatment for prevention of a cardiovascular complication. Furthermore, by decreasing the risk of overtreatment, this strategy is likely to result in a decrease in the number of medication-related side effects such as coronary morbidity and mortality.
Related Concept Videos
Hypertension and Regulation of Blood Pressure
Heart Failure Drugs: Inhibitors of Renin-Angiotensin System
Drug Dosing: Geriatric Patients
Hypertension IV: Drug Therapy and Lifestyle Modifications
Hypertension V: Nursing Management
Peripheral Artery Disease III: Interprofessional Care

