Prevention of cardiovascular events by treating hypertension in older adults: an evidence-based approach.
Hypertension in older adults is not well controlled in clinical practice. Isolated systolic hypertension is often more difficult to manage. A systematic PubMed search was conducted to look for evidence showing benefits of lowering blood pressure (BP) in older hypertensive adults. Lowering BP in these individuals significantly reduces the risk of coronary artery disease, stroke, and cardiovascular and all-cause mortality. Based on trial evidence, a low-dose diuretic should be considered the most appropriate first-step treatment for preventing cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Therapy with >1 medication is often necessary to reduce BP in these patients. There is unequivocal evidence that cardiovascular events can be prevented in older adults, even those older than 80 years, by treating hypertension.
Firdaus
Muhammad
M
Section of Endocrinology Department of Medicine, The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, 920 S L Young Boulevard, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA. muhammad-firdaus@ouhsc.edu
Sivaram
Chittur A
CA
Reynolds
Dwight W
DW
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002423:Cause of Death; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D008297:Male; D015201:Meta-Analysis as Topic; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D049993:Sodium Chloride Symporter Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D020521:Stroke / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control*
D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D049993:Sodium Chloride Symporter Inhibitors