Attualita in tema di terapia antiipertensiva dell'anziano

High blood pressure is the main cardiovascular risk factor even in the elderly. In particular, with aging, elevated systolic blood pressure becomes more important as a risk factor than does diastolic blood pressure both in males and in females. This epidemiological consideration, derived mainly from studies such as the Framingham Study, has been confirmed by several therapeutic international trials on high blood pressure in the elderly (e.g.) the Veteran Administration Cooperative Study on Antihypertensive agents, the Australian Therapeutic Trial in Mild Hypertension, the European Working Party on Blood Pressure in the Elderly, the SHEP Study and the STOP-Hypertension. These trials have demonstrated that pharmacological treatment of hypertension reduces cardiovascular mortality and morbidity even in elderly patients. However, further studies are necessary to evaluate the effects of other drugs, such as calcium antagonists, angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors and the new angiotensin II receptor antagonists.