Drugs and Hypertension in Elderly People
December 6th, 2008
Hypertension or high blood pressure is probably one of the most common cardiovascular diseases in the world. It has been estimated that there are over 690 million people throughout the world who suffer from high blood pressure and in any western society this number can be as high as 20% of the population.
Hypertension is now reaching epidemic proportions throughout the world and one of the reasons for this is that the ever growing elderly population makes up a large proportion of this number.
Traditionally elderly people have not been treated for their high blood pressure assertively with appropriate antihypertensive medication as it was thought that high blood pressure in the elderly was a normal part of the aging process. It was also thought that elderly people would succumb to the sometimes aggressive side effects of some of the medications on the market.
However it is now realized this is not true and elderly people should be treated for their hypertensive problems with appropriately prescribed medication.
Researchers conducting trials into the efficiency of hypertensive drugs in the elderly believe diuretics, one of the most common anti-hypertensive drugs there is, are probably the most effective for this age group.
There is no actual consensus at the moment as to what constitutes a “normal” blood pressure in an elderly person though they readily admit that any reduction from a conventional definition of hypertension which is likely to be more than 160mm Hg systolic or more than 95mm Hg diastolic “is likely to be beneficial”.
Also one of the biggest benefits of using diuretics to reduce blood pressure is the sheer cost effectiveness of the treatment as most conventional diuretics are very cheap.
It’s thought that if diuretics were used effectively in the treatment of elderly people, they could probably reduce up to 40% of stroke related death, therefore reducing the incidence of heart related diseases and assist in helping older people live a healthy continuously active lifestyle.
Other irrefutable evidence from some studies has also discovered doctors only have to treat 50 patients over the age of 60 with these types of antihypertensive drugs for approximately five years to prevent one stroke rather than 168 younger patients. The cost implication in this is tremendous.
It’s important that the problem of hypertension in older people is taken seriously and not just considered a part of the normal aging process. Hypertension is a serious disease no matter what your age and should always be treated.
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