ABSTRACT
AGE, HYPERTENSION AND CARDIOVASCULAR RISK Of Europe’s population 20% are aged over 65 years. ➤ Th e ‘old old’ population (over 80 years) is increasing most rapidly. ➤ Cardiovascular disease is the single most frequent cause of death in the over-65s, ➤ is responsible for considerable morbidity and has signifi cant cost implications for the NHS and social services. Th e link between hypertension and increased cardiovascular risk in older people ➤ is well known. Hypertension continues to be a signifi cant health problem in older people. ➤ In the United Kingdom more than 50% of the 10 million people over 65 years old ➤ are hypertensive. Older hypertensive patients are now seen as an important target group who ➤ appear to benefi t from antihypertensive treatment in terms of improved outcomes. Intervention trials have demonstrated that antihypertensive treatment in older ➤ patients can reduce the incidence of stroke by 30%, coronary heart disease by 20% and all vascular deaths by nearly 25%. An aggressive approach to blood pressure lowering is warranted up to and beyond ➤ the age of 80, particularly in those at increased cardiovascular risk. Th e absolute benefi t from treatment in older people is much larger than that for ➤ younger patients with hypertension because of their higher absolute risk.
