Benefits of Intensive BP Therapy Outweigh Risks in Octogenarians

A study in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society suggests intensive blood pressure (BP) therapy could lower the risk of myocardial infarction, stroke, death, and mild cognitive impairment among older adults but also accelerate renal deterioration, reports Cardiovascular Business . The researchers considered optimal BP control in 1,167 adults 80 or older, who were randomized to receive either intensive treatment with a systolic BP target of less than 120 mmHg or standard treatment with a BP target of less than 140 mmHg. Participants in the first group experienced a lower risk for cardiovascular events over time than those in the other group, but their kidney function also declined slightly. Both groups exhibited a similar rate of dementia, although those in the intensive BP cohort were 28 percent less likely to develop mild cognitive impairment than their counterparts. Older adults' risk for injury-causing falls was not elevated by intensive BP therapy.