title: Blood pressure targets in the very old: development of a tool in a geriatric day hospital.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Canadian hypertension guidelines do not address blood pressure (BP) targets in the very old (older than 85 years of age), making BP management in this group difficult.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To develop a BP target tool and implementation process in order to facilitate management of BP in the very old at the Bruyère Continuing Care Geriatric Day Hospital in Ottawa, Ont.
  
  
  METHODS
  A BP target tool and implementation process were developed to target, monitor, and communicate BP goals within the care team, to the patient and family, and to other prescribers. An audit was conducted of the first 10 weeks of the tool's implementation and illustrated good use with areas for improvement noted.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The development and use of a BP target tool increased prescriber consistency and confidence in managing BP in the very old. The tool filled a gap in the absence of guidelines specific to BP management in the very old. The BP target tool has implications for practice, as well as for the training of health care professionals involved in treating and monitoring BP in very old patients.
authors.affiliation: Pharmacist at the Bruyère Continuing Care Geriatric Day Hospital in Ottawa, Ont, Scientist in the Bruyère Research Institute, Assistant Professor in the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Ottawa, and Adjunct Assistant Professor in the School of Pharmacy at the University of Waterloo in Ontario. bfarrell@bruyere.org.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Farrell
authors.affiliation: Attending physician at the Bruyère Continuing Care Geriatric Day Hospital and Lecturer in the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Ottawa.
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Monahan
authors.affiliation: Pharmacist with the Guelph Family Health Team in Ontario.
authors.forename: Naomi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Dore
authors.affiliation: Pharmacist at Women's College Hospital in Toronto, Ont.
authors.forename: Kate
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Walsh
mesh_terms: D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001794:Blood Pressure; D003661:Decision Support Techniques; D005853:Geriatrics; D006782:Hospitals, Special; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy*; D007022:Hypotension / Q000517:prevention & control; D009864:Ontario; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012016:Reference Values