[Antihypertensive agents in elderly patients]

Arterial hypertension is common in elderly people, and the risk of cardiovascular complications due to that disease is reduced by antihypertensive treatments in these as in younger hypertensive patients. However, some points must be borne in mind when treating and following up elderly subjects with hypertension. Old age alters the metabolism and effects of antihypertensive agents. Concomitant pathologies are frequent and may preclude the use of some of these agents, while other medicines taken by the patient interreact with them. Several complications of antihypertensive therapy particularly threaten elderly hypertensive drugs patients. The complications depend on the antihypertensive drugs used and include malaise, excessive fall in blood pressure, postural hypotension, water and electrolyte disorders, renal impairment and neuropsychological disturbances. Because of these iatrogenic effects, which may have more serious consequences in elderly therapy must be handled with care. Close supervision enables these undesirable effects to be detected early on and corrected before more serious complications develop.