Benefits of Treating Higher Versus Lower BP Targets in Older Adults Across all trials , treating high BP in older adults was beneficial .
This is probably related to the higher frequency of cardiovascular events seen in these patients .
Treatment Effects According to Diastolic BP Evidence was insufficient to determine the benefit of treating diastolic hypertension in the absence of systolic hypertension .
A subgroup analysis of SPRINT showed a nonstatistically significant increase in the rate of serious adverse events , hypotension , syncope , electrolyte abnormalities , or acute
Hypertension , an elevation of systemic arterial blood pressure ( BP ) , is a very common chronic disease in the United States .
The overall prevalence of hypertension among U.S. adults is 29.0 % , and it increases to 64.9 % in adults aged 60 years or older ( 1 ) .
Hypertension was associated with a total of $ 46 billion in health care services , medications , and missed days of work in the United States in 2011 ( 2 ) .
Appropriate management of hypertension reduces the risk for cardiovascular disease , renal disease , cerebrovascular disease , and death ( 36 ) .
However , determining the most appropriate BP targets , particularly for adults aged 60 years or older , has been controversial .
Debate about the goal for systolic BP ( SBP ) among adults treated for hypertension has intensified , especially in light of recent recommendations ( 7 ) .
In addition , when selecting BP targets for adults aged 60 years or older , clinicians need to consider comorbid conditions that could affect treatment choice .
Original Version ( PDF ) Guideline Focus and Target Population The purpose of this American College of Physicians ( ACP ) and American Academy of Family Physicians ( AAFP ) joint guideline is to present evidence -based recommendations on the benefits and harms of higher ( < 150 mm Hg ) versus lower ( 140 mm Hg ) SBP targets for the treatment of hypertension in adults aged 60 years or older .
These recommendations are based on a background evidence review ( 8) and systematic review sponsored by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs ( VA ) ( 9 ) .
Does lowering the blood pressure improve the mood? Quality-of-life results from the Hypertension Optimal Treatment (HOT) study.
Nine-hundred- and -twenty-two hypertensive patients were included in a sub study to the Hypertension Optimal Treatment study , which aim ed to investigate the impact on quality of life of lowering the pressure and of intensified therapy .  Seven-hundred- and -eighty-one patients completed both baseline and follow-up question naires ( intention-to-treat population ) , while 610 patients were included in a per protocol analysis . Patients were r and omized to three diastolic BP levels ( DBPs ) , i.e. < or = 90 mmHg , < or = 85 mmHg and < or = 80 mmHg . Two self-administered vali date d question naires , the  Psychological General Well-Being index and the Subjective Symptoms Assessment Profile ( SSA-P )  were completed at baseline and after 6 months . The lower the DBP achieved , the greater the improvement in well-being ( p < 0.05 ) . The increase in well-being from baseline to 6 months was significant in target groups < or = 80 mmHg ( p < 0.01 ) and < or = 85 mmHg ( p < 0.05 ) . The SSA-P domains , cardiac symptoms and dizziness improved in all groups but the sex life score deteriorated in the < or = 80 and < or = 85 mmHg groups in male patients . In all target groups , headaches were reduced ( p < 0.001 ) , while swollen ankles ( p < 0.001 ) and dry cough in the < or = 80 mmHg group ( p < 0.001 ) increased . Although more intensive antihypertensive therapy is associated with a slight increase in subjective symptoms , it is nonetheless still associated with improvements in patients ' well-being
Benefits of Treating Higher Versus Lower BP Targets in Older Adults Across all trials , treating high BP in older adults was beneficial .
This is probably related to the higher frequency of cardiovascular events seen in these patients .
Treatment Effects According to Diastolic BP Evidence was insufficient to determine the benefit of treating diastolic hypertension in the absence of systolic hypertension .
A subgroup analysis of SPRINT showed a nonstatistically significant increase in the rate of serious adverse events , hypotension , syncope , electrolyte abnormalities , or acute
Hypertension , an elevation of systemic arterial blood pressure ( BP ) , is a very common chronic disease in the United States .
The overall prevalence of hypertension among U.S. adults is 29.0 % , and it increases to 64.9 % in adults aged 60 years or older ( 1 ) .
Hypertension was associated with a total of $ 46 billion in health care services , medications , and missed days of work in the United States in 2011 ( 2 ) .
Appropriate management of hypertension reduces the risk for cardiovascular disease , renal disease , cerebrovascular disease , and death ( 36 ) .
However , determining the most appropriate BP targets , particularly for adults aged 60 years or older , has been controversial .
Debate about the goal for systolic BP ( SBP ) among adults treated for hypertension has intensified , especially in light of recent recommendations ( 7 ) .
In addition , when selecting BP targets for adults aged 60 years or older , clinicians need to consider comorbid conditions that could affect treatment choice .
Original Version ( PDF ) Guideline Focus and Target Population The purpose of this American College of Physicians ( ACP ) and American Academy of Family Physicians ( AAFP ) joint guideline is to present evidence -based recommendations on the benefits and harms of higher ( < 150 mm Hg ) versus lower ( 140 mm Hg ) SBP targets for the treatment of hypertension in adults aged 60 years or older .
These recommendations are based on a background evidence review ( 8) and systematic review sponsored by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs ( VA ) ( 9 ) .