Low Blood Pressure Linked to High Mortality in Older Adults

A study of the medical records of nearly 416,000 older British adults published in Age and Aging found an association between low blood pressure and elevated mortality, which may require a review of international guidelines, reports Nursing Times . The researchers determined that people 75 or older with low blood pressure had higher mortality rates compared with those who had normal blood pressure. This was particularly apparent in "frail" individuals who had a 62 percent increased risk of dying during the 10-year follow-up. Meanwhile, high blood pressure boosted the risk of cardiovascular events, but was not connected to higher death rates in frail adults older than 75. People 85 and older with raised blood pressure exhibited lower mortality rates versus those with lower blood pressure, regardless of how frail they were. "Internationally, guidelines are moving towards tight blood pressure targets, but our findings indicate that this may not be appropriate in frail older adults," said University of Exeter geriatrician Jane Masoli. "We need more research to ascertain whether aggressive blood pressure control is safe in older adults, and then for which patient groups there may be benefit, so we can move towards more personalized blood pressure management in older adults."