title: High blood pressure as a risk factor for incident stroke among very old people: a population-based cohort study.
abstract: High blood pressure (BP) increases the risk of stroke, but there is limited evidence from studies including very old people. The aim was to investigate risk factors for incident stroke among very old people.
  
  
  
  A prospective population-based cohort study was performed among participants aged at least 85 years in northern Sweden. The 955 participants were tested at their homes. BP was measured manually after 5-min supine rest. Incident stroke data were collected from medical charts guided by hospital registry, death records, and 5-year reassessments. Cox proportional hazards models were used.
  
  
  
  The stroke incidence was 33.8/1000 person-years (94 stroke events) during a mean follow-up period of 2.9 years. In a comprehensive multivariate model, atrial fibrillation [hazard ratio 1.85, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.07-3.19] and higher SBP (hazard ratio 1.19, 95% CI 1.08-1.30 per 10-mmHg increase) were associated with incident stroke overall. However, higher SBP was not associated with incident stroke in participants with SBP less than 140 mmHg (hazard ratio 0.90, 95% CI 0.53-1.53 per 10-mmHg increase). In additional multivariate models, DBP at least 90 mmHg (hazard ratio 2.45, 95% CI 1.47-4.08) and SBP at least 160 mmHg (vs. <140 mmHg; hazard ratio 2.80, 95% CI 1.53-5.14) were associated with incident stroke. The association between BP and incident stroke was not affected by interactions related to sex, dependence in activities of daily living, or cognitive impairment.
  
  
  
  High SBP (≥160 mmHg) and DBP (≥90 mmHg) and atrial fibrillation appeared to be risk factors for incident stroke among very old people.
authors.affiliation: aDepartment of Community Medicine and Rehabilitation, Geriatric Medicine bDepartment of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Medicine, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.
authors.forename: Carl
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hörnsten
authors.forename: Bodil
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Weidung
authors.forename: Håkan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Littbrand
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Carlberg
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nordström
authors.forename: Hugo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lövheim
authors.forename: Yngve
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gustafson
mesh_terms: D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000453:epidemiology*; D001794:Blood Pressure; D003971:Diastole; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D020521:Stroke / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology; D013599:Systole