Many older people may be taking antihypertensives unnecessarily, researchers have claimed.
Researchers from East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust, UK, point out that drugs often prescribed for prostatism, Parkinson’s disease and depression have hypotensive effects, adding to the risks of unnecessary antihypertensives.
The team assessed the rate of low blood pressure among 11,167 men and women over the age of 70 years in Kent. Systolic blood pressure was low – below 120?mmHg – in 12%. Almost 70% of those with the lowest blood pressure (less than 100mmHg) were taking antihypertensives.
Hypotension was associated with increased mortality, acute kidney injury and hospital admission.
Lead researcher, Professor Chris Farmer, and colleagues state: "The results demonstrate that low systolic blood pressure is associated with adverse events, it is possible that the pursuit of blood pressure control at a population level may lead to over-treatment in certain groups of patients. This may result in an increased incidence of adverse events particularly in older people."
Details of the study appeared recently in Age and Ageing.
Professor Farmer believes that "a clinically significant proportion of elderly people on antihypertensive drugs are hypotensive." "Once medication is initiated, it is not always regularly reviewed to adjust for physiological changes associated with ageing and the effects of additional drugs," he says.
This could be having a negative impact on the quality of life of older patients and treatment must be regularly reviewed, he concludes.
Morrissey, Y. et al. Older people remain on blood pressure agents despite being hypotensive resulting in increased mortality and hospital admission. Age and Ageing 30 June 2016; doi: 10.1093/ageing/afw120
Leave a Reply