Key result
In healthy older adults followed over 5.8 years, the prevalence of postprandial hypotension after an oral glucose load doubled from 9.1% to 18.2%, accompanied by slower gastric emptying (p=0.04).
Why the study?
Gastric emptying influences meal-induced hypotensive responses and slows with healthy aging in cross-sectional studies, but longitudinal changes in BP response and gastric emptying remained to be determined.
Does aging over 5.8 years alter the blood pressure response and gastric emptying of an oral glucose load in healthy older subjects?
Cohort (n=33)
Does aging over 5.8 years alter the blood pressure response and gastric emptying of an oral glucose load in healthy older subjects?
Absolute Event Rate: 18.2% vs 9.1%
In healthy older adults, aging over nearly 6 years is associated with slower gastric emptying and an increased prevalence of postprandial hypotension.
May warrant vigilance for postprandial hypotension in aging adults; leaves open whether slower gastric emptying drives this.
The rate of gastric emptying is a major determinant of the hypotensive response to a meal. Cross-sectional studies suggest that healthy aging is associated with a modest slowing of gastric emptying. We aimed to determine longitudinal changes in the blood pressure (BP) response to, and gastric emptying of, glucose in healthy older people. Thirty-three participants (77.0 ± 0.7 years) had baseline and follow-up measurements after 5.8 ± 0.1 years. Participants consumed a 300-mL drink containing 75 g glucose and 150 mg C13-acetate. BP and heart rate (HR) were measured at 5-minute intervals for 120 minutes after the drink. Exhaled breath was collected to calculate the gastric 50% emptying time. The prevalence of postprandial hypotension (PPH) doubled from 9.1% to 18.2%. Gastric emptying was slower at follow-up (p = .04). The fall in systolic BP (SBP) was related directly to the rate of gastric emptying at both the initial study (r = .54, p = .005) and at follow-up (r = .41, p = .04). The change in the maximum fall in SBP was related to the increase in baseline SBP (r = -.63, p < .001). In conclusion, in healthy older people over a period of ~5.8 years, there was an increased prevalence of PPH and a modest slowing of gastric emptying. The latter was related directly to a greater hypotensive response.
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Pham et al. (2019) conducted a cohort in Healthy older people (n=33). Oral glucose load vs. Baseline response was evaluated on Prevalence of postprandial hypotension (PPH). In healthy older adults followed over 5.8 years, the prevalence of postprandial hypotension after an oral glucose load doubled from 9.1% to 18.2%, accompanied by slower gastric emptying (p=0.04).
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