BLOOD PRESSURE PROFILES IN ELDERLY NURSING HOME RESIDENTS.
Contributors: Boston University.
Published: 1991
Number of pages: 2117
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.; Biology, Animal Physiology.; Health Sciences, Public Health.
Description: Little is known about night time blood pressures in the elderly. The normal blood pressure profile is a diurnal variation with day time pressures at higher levels than night time. It may be that the lowering of pressures at night is a protective or restive mechanism for the cardiovascular system. The purpose of this study was to describe the blood pressure profile as it occurs in an elderly population.

The methodology used an automatic non-invasive blood pressure recording device to record blood pressures hourly for a 24 hour period. Subjects were nursing home residents 65 years or older who were able and willing to give informed consent. Information regarding diagnoses, medications, gender and age was obtained from the current medical record.

This study described the blood pressure profiles of 101 elderly nursing home residents. Characteristics of those individuals who show diurnal variations in blood pressures were determined, and individuals were classified as to the occurrence of diurnal variations. Comparisons of diagnoses and medications, with diurnal blood pressure classifications were calculated. It was expected that if abnormal blood pressure profiles occur in some individuals nurses may be able to provide safer care.

It was found that 40% of the 101 subjects had increased systolic, and 47% had increased diastolic pressures at night. Thus abnormal blood pressure profiles were found to occur in nursing home elderly.

Further research is warranted and needed to determine at what age the change in blood pressure profiles occurs and to determine whether this change is a risk factor for disease or whether it is a protective mechanism. Nurses should be aware that pressures may increase at night in a large proportion of elderly.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 53-03, Section: B, page: 1295.

Thesis (D.N.SC.)--BOSTON UNIVERSITY, 1991.

School code: 0017.