Do older adults benefit from blood pressure treatment?
Ask the doctor
Q. I’ve been taking blood pressure pills for 20 years, but I just turned 75. Do I still benefit from taking them?
A. There is no doubt about the benefit of treating high blood pressure in people younger than 75. But some doctors have wondered if, in people older than 75, the benefits might be less and the chance of bad reactions to medicines might be greater. So, you’re asking a question that we doctors have asked ourselves.
A study published online on Aug. 26, 2021, by The Lancet is the best one I’ve seen on this question. It indicates that the value of blood pressure treatment continues in people over 75 years old. Scientists pooled the results of 51 randomized clinical trials involving 358,707 people, who ranged in age from 21 to 105 years old. Nearly 59,000 people were ages 75 or older. With so many people in the analysis, the results are more likely to be valid.
Randomized trials are the best type of study for judging the benefits and the risks of treatment. Such trials randomly assign some people to take a real blood pressure pill and others to take a placebo (inactive pill). Since the people in the two groups are very similar except for the kind of pill they are taking, any differences in their subsequent health are likely to be explained by whether they took the real medicine or the placebo. So, because of the large number of people in the analysis, and the fact they were all in randomized trials, we can trust the results of the analysis.
The study mainly looked at cardiovascular diseases such as strokes, heart attacks, and other heart problems caused by clogged arteries. For people younger than 75, the study confirmed that people taking blood pressure medicines had 10% to 20% fewer cardiovascular disease problems. For people 75 to 84, there still was a 10% reduction. For people older than 85, the results were mixed, but they're still appeared to be a benefit from blood pressure treatment.
While this analysis did not specifically look at side effects from treatment, other large studies have. The bottom line is that side effects from blood pressure treatments are not greater in people over 75 than in younger people. Rarely, an older person develops unpleasant symptoms if treatment lowers blood pressure below 130/85 millimetres of mercury (mm Hg), requiring a lower dose of medicine.
So, this analysis confirms that treatment to lower blood pressure protects against heart attacks, strokes, and other major cardiovascular disease problems — in the average person below age 75, the person in the 75-to-84 age group, and possibly the person older than 85. The goal of treatment is a blood pressure of around 120/70 mm Hg. Fortunately, today there are many effective medicines for high blood pressure.
— Anthony L. Komaroff, M.D.
Editor in Chief, Harvard Health Letter
Popular posts from this blog
Today is my birthday, and at first I thought I would not say anything at all. I usually keep things to myself, but I told myself that even if I do not post on Instagram, I would still mark the day here on my blog . Today matters to me. I was born on this day, and that is not something I take lightly. It is a reminder that my life has meaning and that I am grateful to be here. I have lived through disappointment and moments when things did not go as planned. I have also experienced victories, growth, and quiet achievements that shaped who I am becoming. Looking back, every part of my journey has led me to this day, and for that I am sincerely thankful to God and to everyone who has played a role in my life, whether near or far. Today I am off work, and I am choosing rest, reflection, and peace. A birthday, to me, is about slowing down, appreciating messages from those who remember, and sharing a little of my day as it unfolds. I will also be sharing another post about my birthday moment...
These days, I only take photos and review outfits I genuinely love. Comfort is always my priority, but denim has a special place in my wardrobe. Living in the UK, where the weather can be unpredictable, denim has always served me well—and it still does. I’m not just talking about jeans. I love exploring denim in different forms—like dresses or waistcoats—and this outfit is no exception. I recently got this Blue Loose Casual Pocket Button-Up Round Neck Sleeveless Waisted Vest and Wide-Leg Pants Denim Two-Piece Set from Know Fashion Style . What I immediately loved about this two-piece denim waistcoat and flare trousers is how effortlessly it transformed with heels. I added a pair of heels, and voilà! The look instantly upgraded from office casual to polished and formal—perfect for a professional meeting. You know what I mean, right? The material feels lovely on the skin—soft, breathable, and just the right weight for denim. However, I did notice a strong chemical odor when I first u...
Have you ever sat at your desk, already drowning in work pressure, and then looked over at a teammate who was getting hit twice as hard by the manager? That happened to me recently, and honestly, the vicarious stress was heavy. Watching someone else get squeezed until they're completely drained—while you're already counting down the days until you hit financial freedom just so you can step off the hamster wheel—makes you pause. It made me realize that so much of what we accept as "normal workplace culture" is completely broken. I was actually watching a movie the other day about how terribly we manage ourselves as human beings, and it added a whole new layer to these questions floating around in my head: Why do we let work take so much from us? And why are so many people in charge so bad at actually managing people? That exact spiral is what made me dive into Caroline Webb’s book, Leadership Intelligence . I didn't pick it up to read another dry corporate manual. ...
