Patient characteristics and their influence on therapy and its outcome in hypertension of the elderly.

A retrospective study was undertaken to analyze the effects of various patient factors on therapy and its outcome in elderly hypertensive subjects. Two hundred and three male hypertensives with a mean age of 63.1 years at entry, were followed in a special hypertension clinic by nurse practitioners under physician supervision, for 2 years or more (mean 3.7 years). Good patient compliance (84%) and blood pressure (BP) reduction were achieved and these were enhanced by advancing age. Neither excessive weight, nor widespread atherosclerosis seemed to interfere with BP control. However, while diastolic BP was well controlled with antihypertensive therapy, systolic BP tended to remain higher than 160 mm Hg in many of the older and more atherosclerotic subjects. Pharmacological treatment did not prevent a gradual although modest deterioration of renal function, which was related to both age and hypertension, and represents a greater problem in black patients. Because of the limitations of such a retrospective study, its conclusions may not be extrapolated for treatment of hypertension in all the elderly.