Why the study?
Should antihypertensive treatment be less intense in frail older adults?
Should antihypertensive treatment be less intense in frail older adults?
A Canadian consensus guideline recommends adopting higher blood pressure targets and less intense antihypertensive treatment for frail older adults.
Supports less intensive antihypertensives in frail elderly; extends evidence for frailty-guided BP targets.
The authors, who are members of the Dalhousie Academic Detailing Service and the Palliative and Therapeutic Harmonization program, recommend that antihypertensive treatment be less intense in elderly patients who are frail. This paper reviews their recommendations and the evidence behind them.
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Mallery et al. (2014) conducted a review in Hypertension in frail older adults. Higher blood pressure targets (140-160 mm Hg) vs. Strict blood pressure targets (<140 mm Hg) was evaluated. A Canadian consensus guideline recommends aiming for a seated systolic blood pressure of 140 to 160 mm Hg in severely frail older adults, initiating treatment only if systolic pressure is 160 mm Hg or higher.
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