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Risk factors for cardiovascular disease: 'clustering' in the older hypertensive man
1Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London Medical School, UK.
Insights
Hypertension affects up to 60% of elderly men, often alongside other cardiovascular risks like obesity and smoking. This clustering impacts treatment decisions for high blood pressure in older populations.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Cardiology
- Public Health
Background:
- Hypertension is highly prevalent in elderly men, with rates reaching 60% based on varying definitions.
- Cardiovascular disease risk factors frequently cluster together in older adults.
Purpose of the Study:
- To highlight the significant prevalence of hypertension in elderly men.
- To discuss the implications of clustered cardiovascular risk factors on treatment.
Main Methods:
- Literature review and analysis of epidemiological data on hypertension prevalence.
- Examination of the co-occurrence of risk factors in elderly populations.
Main Results:
- Prevalence estimates for hypertension in elderly men vary widely based on definition.
- Common coexisting risk factors include obesity, smoking, glucose intolerance, inactivity, and dyslipidemia.
Conclusions:
- The clustering of cardiovascular risk factors in hypertensive elderly men necessitates careful consideration for treatment thresholds.
- Therapeutic strategies for hypertension must account for the presence of multiple risk factors.
Abstract:
Hypertension is a common condition in elderly men. The prevalence is reported to be as high as 60%, depending on the definitions used for both 'hypertension' and 'elderly'. Other cardiovascular risk factors, including obesity, smoking, glucose intolerance, physical inactivity and dyslipidaemia, often coexist with hypertension, in the older as well as in younger age groups. This 'clustering' of risk factors for cardiovascular disease has major implications for treatment threshold and choice of antihypertensive therapy.