Are the Hemodynamic Changes in Elderly Hypertensive Patients of Clinical Importance? Do They Influence the Choice of Medication?
Despite the fact that elderly hypertensive patients have numerous concomitant diseases and changes in physiologic responses compared to middle-aged or younger individuals, they generally repond well to antihypertensive drug therapy without significant adverse reactions-provided that medication is started at low dosages and that dosages are increased slowly. There is little doubt that the benefit of treatment outweighs the risk.
Moser
Marvin
M
Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT.