title: [Hypertension in the elderly].
abstract: Arterial hypertension remains the most important risk factor for cardiovascular and renal diseases. In view of an increasing prevalence with older age and an increasingly aging population, the treatment of elderly patients with arterial hypertension will become increasingly important in daily practice. Arterial hypertension in the elderly differs in many aspects from arterial hypertension in younger patients. For example, isolated systolic hypertension is the predominant form of arterial hypertension in the elderly. In comparison to younger patients, treatment of hypertension in the elderly is less well investigated. However, available data suggest that lowering of blood pressure in the elderly and very elderly reduces the risk of heart failure, stroke, and even mortality. The best evidence for the treatment of hypertension in the elderly exists for diuretics and calcium antagonists. However, the primary choice of antihypertensive therapy should be guided by the presence of existing cardiovascular and/or renal comorbidities.
authors.affiliation: 1 Medizinische Universitätsklinik, Kantonsspital Baselland, Liestal.
authors.forename: Anja
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Handschin
authors.forename: Katja
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Henny-Fullin
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Buess
authors.forename: Jörg
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Leuppi
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dieterle
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors