Management of hypertension for stroke prevention in older people

It is no longer acceptable to attribute elevated blood pressure in elderly people to the natural processes of aging and thereby withhold treatment. So und evidence demonstrates increased risk of cardiovascular disease with inc reasing levels of blood pressure and decreased incidence of cardiovascular disease with blood pressure control. Hypertension is known to be the most m odifiable risk factor for stroke. Given projected demographic shifts in the population, the number of older Americans with hypertension and increased risk of morbidity and mortality from stroke will grow during the first part of the next century. Health care providers should familiarize themselves w ith the unique pathophysiology of hypertension in elderly people, and integ rate appropriate approaches to comprehensive evaluation and management into practice.