Why are older people more at risk for hypertension?

Research has indicated that blood vessels naturally ‘harden’ with age, losing their elasticity. This may be one explanation for why older people are more at risk of developing high blood pressure.

How does age affect the diagnosis of hypertension?

“As you age, the vascular system changes. This includes your heart and blood vessels. In the blood vessels, there’s a reduction in elastic tissue in your arteries, causing them to become stiffer and less compliant. As a result, your blood pressure increases,” Nakano said.

Why is coronary heart disease becoming more common?

The rapid rise in CHD burden in most of the low and middle and income countries is due to socio-economic changes, increase in life span and acquisition of lifestyle related risk factors. The CHD death rate, however, varies dramatically across the developing countries.

Does blood pressure inevitably rise with age?

An age-related increase in blood pressure (BP) is viewed as a universal feature of human aging. Among Westerners over age 40 years, systolic BP (SBP) increases by ≈7 mmHg per decade. Epidemiological surveys show a progressive increase in SBP with age, reaching an average of ≈140 mmHg by the eighth decade.

What is the most common cause of hypotension in elderly?

The elderly are particularly affected, especially those who have high blood pressure or autonomic nervous system dysfunction. Hypotension after meals is a common cause of dizziness and falls after eating. This is most common after large meals containing a lot of carbohydrates.

Why was there an increase in coronary heart disease in the 20th century?

This increase was associated with an increase in smoking and dietary changes leading to an increase in serum cholesterol levels. In addition, the ability to diagnose acute myocardial infarction with the aid of the electrocardiogram increased the recognition of coronary heart disease before death.

Is higher blood pressure normal in older adults?

High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a major health problem that is common in older adults. Your body’s network of blood vessels, known as the vascular system, changes with age. Arteries get stiffer, causing blood pressure to go up. This can be true even for people who have heart-healthy habits and feel just fine.

Does blood pressure decrease with age?

Diastolic blood pressure (DBP), however, has a varying pattern with ageing, increasing until the fifth decade and slowly decreasing from the age of 60 to at least 84 years of age. This leads to a steep rise in pulse pressure (PP) with ageing.

Is hypertension more common in older adults?

Older adults are more at risk of developing hypertension due to more sedentary lifestyles and a greater sensitivity to salt intake than younger adults.

How effective is the polypill for lowering blood pressure?

The polypill also seems to be effective at lowering blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Longer studies need to be done to show whether the combination drug will lower deaths from heart disease and stroke too.

What is a polypill for heart disease?

Answer From Rekha Mankad, M.D. The term “polypill” describes a pill that contains a combination of several medications commonly used to treat heart disease and high blood pressure. Doctors aren’t yet sure what the best combination of medications is for the polypill. It will probably include low doses of these medications:

Is the polypill right for You?

The polypill is still being studied, and it isn’t currently available for sale in the United States. But, studies suggest that the combined medication helps people better adhere to their treatment. That’s probably because it’s easier to remember to take one medication than multiple ones.

Does polypill therapy work in underserved communities?

However, few data are available regarding the use of polypill therapy in underserved communities in the United States, in which adherence to guideline-based care is generally low. We conducted a randomized, controlled trial involving adults without cardiovascular disease.