Abstract
It is always appropriate to define the topic to be dealt with. As regards treatment of arterial hypertension in the elderly, at least two words need to be defined: “hypertension” and “elderly”. There are numerous definitions of hypertension in the literature, which only illustrates the fact that the division between normotension and hypertension is an artificial one. Probably the most widely used definition is the one given by the World Health Organization [1], which states that blood pressures below 140/90 mmHg are to be regarded as normotensive, whereas blood pressures of 160/95 mmHg or above are to be considered hypertensive. Perhaps the greatest drawback with this definition is that it does not take age into account. It has been demonstrated beyond doubt by numerous studies in Western countries that blood pressure increases with age. Therefore, the WHO definition of hypertension is especially inappropriate for defining hypertension in the elderly.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
World Health Organization (1978) Report of a WHO expert committee. Arterial hypertension. WHO Tech Rep Ser 628
Amery A, Hansson L, Andrén L, Gudbrandsson T, Sivertsson R, Svensson A (to be published) Hypertension in the elderly. Hypertension seminars at Östra Hospital, Göteborg, Sweden. Acta Med Scand
Pickering GW (1968) High blood pressure, 2nd ed. Churchill, London
Gudbrandsson T, Hansson L, Herlitz H, Andrén L (1979) Malignant hypertension — improving prognosis in a rare disease. Acta Med Scand 206: 495
Veterans Administration Cooperative Study Group on Antihypertensive Agents (1967) Effects of treatment on morbidity in hypertension. Results in patients with diastolic blood pressure averaging 115 through 129 mm Hg. JAMA 202: 116
Veterans Administration Cooperative Study Group on Antihypertensive Agents (1970) Effects of treatment on morbidity in hypertension. II. Results in patients with diastolic blood pressure averaging 90 through 114 mm Hg. JAMA 213: 1143
Hypertension Detection and Follow-up Program Cooperative Study (1979) Five-year findings of the Hypertension Detection and Follow-up Program. I. Reduction in mortality of persons with high blood pressure including mild hypertension. JAMA 242: 2562
Amery A, Schaepdryver A (1973) European working party on high blood pressure in the elderly (EWPHE). Organisation of a double blind multicentre trial on antihypertensive therapy in elderly patients. Clin Sci Mol Med 45: 71s
European Working Party on Hypertension in the Elderly (1978) Glucose intolerance during diuretic therapy. Results of trial by the EWPHE. Lancet 1: 681
Veterans Administration Cooperative Study Group on Antihypertensive Agents (1972). Effects of treatment on morbidity in hypertension. III. Influence of age, diastolic pressure and prior cardiovascular disease. Further analysis of side effects. Circulation 45: 991
Hansson L, Malmcrona R, Olander R et al. (1972) Propranolol in hypertension. Report on 158 patients treated up to one year. Klin Wochenschr 50: 364
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1982 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
About this paper
Cite this paper
Hansson, L. (1982). Treatment of Hypertension with β-Blockers in Elderly Patients. In: Lang, E., Sörgel, F., Blaha, L. (eds) Beta-Blockers in the Elderly. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-68674-0_3
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-68674-0_3
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-540-11682-0
Online ISBN: 978-3-642-68674-0
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive