Hypertension 2008, refining our treatment.

Clinical studies continue to modify our approach to the older hypertensive patient. The pathophysiology of hypertension is now better understood from data derived from ambulatory blood pressure monitoring, the assessment of central arterial pressure and of vascular stiffness. This is altering both the ways we assess, monitor, and treat our older hypertensive patients as well as our choice of pharmacological agents.

Food-drug interactions: Careful drug selection and patient counseling can reduce the risk in older patients.

Older patients are at high risk for food-drug Interactions. These patients are commonly on multiple medications for chronic medical conditions. Age-related physiologic changes affecting drug absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion, as well as drug action occur in these patients, and this variability in drug action may be further potentiated by interactions with foods.