HYPERTENSION IN THE ELDERLY POPULATION - PREVALENCE DATA FROM AN URBAN AREA IN SWEDEN

Data from the total urban elderly population (75 years and older) in K ungsholmen, Stockholm, were used to calculate age- and sex-specific pr evalence of hypertension. Blood pressure was measured as part of the e xamination in the population survey (the Kungsholmen Project). The blo od pressure of 1751 elderly people and any antihypertensive treatment were recorded. The prevalence of hypertension was 54 and 59 per 100 po pulation for men and women, respectively. No great variation was obser ved with age or sex. Isolated systolic hypertension was most frequent with increasing prevalence in advanced ages, while isolated diastolic hypertension and systolic and diastolic hypertension showed ct tendenc y of decreased prevalence with age. In the subjects studied, 18% were being treated for hypertension. Hypertension was detected in 47% of th ose not undergoing treatment. Among those, 76% had high blood pressure measurements. Our data demonstrate that hypertension is a prevalent d isease in the very old, in both sexes, and support the need for hypert ension screening programs as well as programs to evaluate the efficacy and benefits of treatment in this age group.