Hypertension in the elderly - treatment offers clear benefits

Treating hypertension in the elderly has traditionally received much less attention than it deserves. This is despite the clear evidence that bringing down blood pressure in people over age 65 tends to reduce the risks of cardiovascular disease and strokes.

Many doctors used to believe that hypertension in the elderly is difficult to treat and that the adverse effects created by such treatment outweigh the benefits it offers.

This view was held despite the development of new kinds of anti-hypertensive medications over the past decades. These new drugs are more effective and create fewer side effects as compared to medications available earlier.

During the early part of the 1990s, large clinical trials were conducted on hypertensive patients. These studies found that treating hypertension in the elderly is quite justified given the significant benefits it produces. The researchers concluded that ignoring high blood pressure - perhaps by considering it as part of the normal ageing process - is not warranted.

The UK Government had commissioned a study done by York University about hypertension and older people. One of the issues they looked at was the side effects of treating this health condition. The study discovered that the side effects suffered by the elderly were similar to those experienced by younger people. Examples include headaches, dizziness and rashes.

It is true that the elderly are susceptible to serious side effects like organ disorders and palpitations. However, this is also true of younger people. According to the above study, the elderly are only about as likely to develop these side effects as their younger counterparts. In other words, there does not seem to be a significantly enhanced risk associated with treating hypertension in the elderly.

Older people often suffer from multiple disorders; elevated blood pressure can be a sign of other underlying health conditions. Blood pressure is therefore an important diagnostic tool to help identify serious health issues that affect the elderly. Regular blood pressure checkups can help in early detection and treatment of many diseases.

Blood pressure tends to be above normal levels in people who have renal diseases and whose glucose levels in the blood are out of balance.

A sedentary lifestyle along with excess fat consumption over a lifetime can cause hypertension in elderly people. That is why doctors often advice an overweight person to lose excess weight as part of the treatment to control high blood pressure. In some cases, losing weight may be sufficient by itself to reduce the blood pressure to normal levels.

Regular mild to moderate exercise can be highly beneficial in controlling hypertension. Elderly people should, in general, avoid strenuous activities and stick to simple exercises like walking, swimming (where possible) and other forms of mild exercise.

Some studies have found that diuretics are one of the most effective forms of anti-hypertensive medications for the elderly. Besides being effective, diuretics are also relatively cheap, which is another advantage.

Treating hypertension just 50 patients over the age 60 is said to prevent one stroke. In contrast, about 168 younger patients must be treated to achieve the reduction of a single stroke. Obviously, there are major cost advantages to ensuring that hypertension in the elderly receives the attention it deserves. Elevated blood pressure is too serious a matter to be ignored.

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