ABSTRACT
A possible exception to the progressive risks associated with every rise in systolic pressure has been claimed for the very old, i.e. people over the age of 85. Satish et al. (2001) noted better survival in people aged 85 and older with higher initial systolic and diastolic blood pressure than in those with lower readings. This inverse relation may be mainly due to the poor general health that leads to low blood pressure in the elderly.
