Antihypertensive Medication Often Prescribed Needlessly to Seniors

In all, of 1,899 people with some degree of low BP, 1,246 were on medication. The researchers also found that the hypotension was independently associated with mortality, acute kidney injury, and hospital admission. The study was published on June 30, 2016, in Age and Aging.

“Treating hypertension in old age reduces strokes and other cardiovascular events. However, in elderly patients with multiple risks, there is a trade-off between using antihypertensives to reduce the risk of future disease and increased risk due to adverse effects of medication,” said senior author consultant renal physician Professor Chris Farmer, MD, of the University of Kent. “Once medication is initiated, it is not always regularly reviewed to adjust for physiological changes associated with ageing and the effects of additional drugs.”

For people who exercise regularly and are in top physical condition, hypotension is a sign of good health and fitness, but for many, excessively low BP can lead to orthostatic hypotension, causing dizziness and fainting. Severely low blood pressure can deprive the brain and other vital organs of oxygen and nutrients, leading to shock. Orthostatic hypotension can be caused by diuretics, alpha and beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers, and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors.

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University of Kent
East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust