Twenty-four hour ambulatory blood pressure in a population of elderly men.
OBJECTIVE
The principal aim was to study ambulatory and office blood pressure in a population of elderly men. We also wanted to describe the prevalence of hypertension and investigate the blood pressure control in treated elderly hypertensives.


METHODS
A cross-sectional study of a population of elderly men, conducted between 1991 and 1995.


METHODS
Seventy-year-old men (n = 1060), participants of a cohort study that began in 1970.


METHODS
Office and 24 h ambulatory blood pressure.


RESULTS
Average 24 h blood pressure in the population was 133 +/- 16/75 +/- 8 mmHg, and daytime blood pressure 140 +/- 16/80 +/- 9 mmHg. Corresponding values in untreated subjects (n = 685) were 131 +/- 16/74 +/- 7 and 139 +/- 16/79 +/- 8, respectively. An office recording of 140/90 mmHg corresponded to an ambulatory pressure of 130/78 (24 h) and 137/83 mmHg (daytime) in untreated subjects. In subjects identified as normotensives according to office blood pressure (n = 270), the 95th percentiles of average 24 h and daytime blood pressures were 142/80 and 153/85 mmHg, respectively. The prevalence of hypertension, defined as office blood pressure greater than or = 140/90 mmHg, was 66%. Despite treatment, treated hypertensives (n = 285) showed higher office (157/89 vs. 127/76 mmHg) and 24 h ambulatory (138/78 vs. 122/71 mmHg) pressures than normotensives (P < 0.05). Fourteen per cent of the treated hypertensives had an office blood pressure < 140/90 mmHg.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results provide a basis for 24 h ambulatory blood pressure reference values in elderly men. The study confirms previous findings of a high prevalence of hypertension at older age. It also indicates that blood pressure is inadequately controlled in elderly treated hypertensives.
Björklund
K
K
Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences/Section of Geriatrics, University of Uppsala, Uppsala, Sweden. Kristina.Bjorklund@geriatrik.uu.se
Lind
L
L
Lithell
H
H
D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D018660:Blood Pressure Monitoring, Ambulatory / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D016014:Linear Models; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology