title: Review of the major hypertension trials in the elderly.
abstract: The different intervention trials in elderly hypertensives are compatible with the hypothesis that hypotensive drug treatment can decrease cardiovascular mortality mainly by decreasing cerebrovascular mortality. A decrease in the fatal and nonfatal cardiovascular event rate is mainly due to a decrease in cerebrovascular events. It is not established whether hypotensive drug treatment is advisable in symptomless patients with isolated systolic hypertension and in patients with uncomplicated hypertension above age 80. A sudden reduction in blood pressure should be avoided, but whether a progressive reduction of systolic blood pressure below 140 mmHg and of diastolic blood pressure below 85 mmHg is dangerous or advantageous remains to be established.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathophysiology, University of Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Staessen
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fagard
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lijnen
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Van Hoof
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Amery
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy*; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000517:prevention & control; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents