Controlling isolated systolic hypertension. No time to be complacent.
Isolated systolic hypertension (ISH) is the most common form of hypertension in the elderly. It is an even better predictor of morbidity and mortality than is diastolic blood pressure. Several large trials have documented a clear benefit to treating ISH. Therapy should be initiated only after careful evaluation of the patient's overall medical status, because the elderly are at increased risk of adverse effects from medications. Pharmacologic therapy should be started at a low dose and increased slowly, if necessary. If hypertension is still present after the addition of two or three medications, a cause other than essential hypertension should be considered, such as white coat hypertension, secondary hypertension, or pseudohypertension.
Pentz
W H
WH
Cardiology Section, University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, IL 60637, USA. wpentz@medicine.bsd.uchicago.edu
D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000145:classification / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D008019:Life Style; D009017:Morbidity; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013599:Systole; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000959:Antihypertensive Agents