title: Management of hypertension in older persons.
abstract: Antihypertensive therapy has been shown to reduce morbidity and mortality in older patients with elevated systolic or diastolic blood pressures. This benefit appears to persist in patients older than 80 years, but less than one third of older patients have adequate blood pressure control. Systolic blood pressure is the most important predictor of cardiovascular disease. Blood pressure measurement in older persons should include an evaluation for orthostatic hypotension. Low-dose thiazide diuretics remain first-line therapy for older patients. Beta blockers, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin-receptor blockers, and calcium channel blockers are second-line medications that should be selected based on comorbidities and risk factors.
authors.affiliation: Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina 29406, USA. macfarll@musc.edu
authors.forename: Lori M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Dickerson
authors.forename: Maria V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Gibson
mesh_terms: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000368:Aged; D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001795:Blood Pressure Determination; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D008019:Life Style; D008875:Middle Aged; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D013599:Systole / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers