[Study of hypertensive very elderly population admitted to a regional hospital].
OBJECTIVE
To analyse the characteristics of the hospitalized very elderly people (age equal or superior to 80 years) with hypertension (HT).


METHODS
Prospective study including the patients with HT who need hospitalization in our medical institution. Data collected were: demographic, clinical parameters, factors of vascular risk, hygienic-dietetic strategies, pharmacological treatment, cause of hospitalization, and biochemical determinations.


RESULTS
There were included 92 very elderly patients (71 women); they represent 14 % of total hospitalized people. Two third parts had not realized academic studies, being 60 % of rural origin. Almost the half (41 %) was diabetic, and 27 % had dyslipidemia. Overall 62 % had 4 or more factors of cardiovascular risk. The hospitalization was related to the HT in the half of the cases, and 61 % had already previously some cardiovascular event. The lifestyle modifications more frequent were: not to smoke (95 %), no alcohol (81 %), and diet without salt (75 %). Diuretics were the most frequent anti-hypertensive agent used. The global mortality was two times superior to the hypertensive population < 80 years in the same period.


CONCLUSIONS
The very elderly hypertensive patients of our study are fundamentally women, of rural origin and without academic studies. The above mentioned hospitalization is attributable directly to the HT in the half of the cases. They are a population of high cardiovascular risk, with previous events cardiac and cerebral-vascular. They confess to realize frequently the hygienic-dietetic strategies recommended. The diuretics are the anti-hypertensive agents most used for the HT. Since it was of waiting for the mortality in this group it is high.
Núñez Fernández
M J
MJ
Unidad de medicina interna, Fundación Pública Hospital Comarcal do Salnés, Vilagarcía de Arousa, Pontevedra. majenu@cmpont.es
Paz Esquete
J
J
Castro Paredes
B
B
García García
J C
JC
Fraile Amador
F J
FJ
López Soto
A
A
D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D008297:Male; D012424:Rural Population; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology