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The treatment of elderly hypertensive patients
Author(s) -
Kendall M. J.,
Tse W. Y.,
Head A.
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
journal of clinical pharmacy and therapeutics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.622
H-Index - 73
eISSN - 1365-2710
pISSN - 0269-4727
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2710.1993.tb00561.x
Subject(s) - medicine , traditional medicine
SUMMARY Treatment of hypertension in the elderly has hitherto been considered to be potentially dangerous. Three recent studies have clearly shown that in selected elderly hypertensives, blood pressure reduction very effectively reduces cardiovascular complications without causing unacceptable adverse effects. The impact on non–fatal stroke was most striking although a reduction in coronary events was also achieved. Thiazide diuretics were used in all three trials, and β–blockers were used in two. Thiazide diuretics had a major beneficial effect. In this review the applicability of these results to the whole unselected population of elderly hypertensives is considered, and the choice of therapy in different subgroups of patients discussed.