Patients aged ≥80 years with hypertension had worse blood pressure control (OR 0.92; 95% CI 0.86-0.99) and were prescribed fewer medications than those aged 60-69 years.
Cross-Sectional (n=59,207)
Yes
Effect estimate: OR 0.92 (95% CI 0.86 to 0.99)
BACKGROUND: Despite guidelines recommending similar blood pressure (BP) treatment goals regardless of age, controversy exists regarding treating those > or = 80 years of age. Whether this affects current practice in terms of differences in BP control and number of prescribed antihypertensives by age is unknown. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study of 59,207 outpatients with hypertension treated at 10 Veterans Health Administration sites. Outcome measures were BP control ( or = 80 years had worse control (OR = 0.92 for both; respective CIs = 0.88 to 0.96 and 0.86 to 0.99). Antihypertensive medication use increased by successive decade to age 80 years, after which the trend reversed. Adjusted mean number of medications by age were: or = 80 years, 2.90 (P or = 80 years and then by those 40 to 49, 50 to 59, 70 to 79, and 60 to 69 years of age. CONCLUSIONS: The oldest hypertension patients, despite worse BP control, are being treated less aggressively with fewer medications than their younger counterparts (those 60 to 79 years of age). Our results suggest that current controversy in treating the oldest hypertensive patients is having an impact on actual practice.
Borzecki et al. (Mon,) conducted a cross-sectional in hypertension (n=59,207). Age group (≥80 years) vs. Age 60 to 69 years was evaluated on BP control (< 140/90 mm Hg) (OR 0.92, 95% CI 0.86 to 0.99). Patients aged ≥80 years with hypertension had worse blood pressure control (OR 0.92; 95% CI 0.86-0.99) and were prescribed fewer medications than those aged 60-69 years.