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 ) .
Target Blood Pressure for Treatment of Isolated Systolic Hypertension in the Elderly: Valsartan in Elderly Isolated Systolic Hypertension Study
In this prospect i ve , r and omized , open-label , blinded end point study , we aim ed to establish whether strict blood pressure control ( < 140 mm Hg ) is superior to moderate blood pressure control ( ≥140 mm Hg to < 150 mm Hg ) in reducing cardiovascular mortality and morbidity in elderly patients with isolated systolic hypertension . We divided 3260 patients aged 70 to 84 years with isolated systolic hypertension ( sitting blood pressure 160 to 199 mm Hg ) into 2 groups , according to strict or moderate blood pressure treatment . A composite of cardiovascular events was evaluated for ≥2 years . The  strict control ( 1545 patients ) and moderate control ( 1534 patients ) groups were well matched ( mean age : 76.1 years ; mean blood pressure : 169.5/81.5 mm Hg ) . Median follow-up was 3.07 years . At 3 years , blood pressure reached 136.6/74.8 mm Hg and 142.0/76.5 mm Hg , respectively . The blood pressure difference between the 2 groups was 5.4/1.7 mm Hg . The overall rate of the primary composite end point was 10.6 per 1000 patient-years in the strict control group and 12.0 per 1000 patient-years in the moderate control group ( hazard ratio : 0.89 ; [ 95 % CI : 0.60 to 1.34 ] ; P=0.38 ) . In summary , blood pressure targets of < 140 mm Hg are safely achievable in relatively healthy patients ≥70 years of age with isolated systolic hypertension , although our trial was underpowered to definitively determine whether strict control was superior to less stringent blood pressure targets
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 ) .