Abstract
Background Hypertension is one of the most prevalent risk factors for myocardial infarction, strokes, congestive cardiac failure and chronic kidney disease (CKD)and its prevalence is significantly higher inthe elderly population. Objectives To assess the demography, various presentations and the prevalence of risk factors among elderly hypertensive patients followed up in a tertiary care hospital in Sri Lanka. Materials and Methods This was a cross sectional descriptive study involving 250 patients whoseage was 60 years or above onantihypertensives for at least 6 months. Results Approximately 65.2% of the study population was female. The mean age was 70.17.Dizziness and chest pain were the most prevalent symptoms.The mean age at first detection was 58.17 years.Mean SBP and DBP were 128.5mmHg and 81.14mmHg respectively. The prevalence of alcohol consumption and smoking among men were 70.1% and 72.4% respectively. Approximately 54.7% were either overweight or obese.Approximately 81.6% females and 41.4% males had a waist circumference ofmore than therisk level with p-value<0.05. Approximately 36% had diabetes mellitus and 27.6% of the patients had at least one parent and 36.8% had at least one sibling diagnosed with hypertension. Approximately 61.3% of the patients hadadequate levels of physical activity while 31.8% had IHD,11.5% had stroke and 3.8% had CKD. Conclusion Dizziness and chest pain were the most disturbing symptoms while abdominal obesity among females,and alcohol consumption and smoking among males were the major risk factors in elderly hypertensive patients
Highlights
Hypertension is one of the most prevalent risk factors for myocardial infarction, strokes, congestive cardiac failure and chronic kidney disease (CKD)and its prevalence is significantly higher inthe elderly population
36% had diabetes mellitus and 27.6% of the patients had at least one parent and 36.8% had at least one sibling diagnosed with hypertension
The aim of this study is to describe the demography, major and minor presenting symptoms, prevalence of modifiable and non modifiable risk factors, associations between physical activity, lifestyle factors and the control of hypertension and the prevalence of major complications of hypertension in a group of elderly hypertensive patients
Summary
Hypertension is one of the most prevalent risk factors for myocardial infarction, strokes, congestive cardiac failure and chronic kidney disease (CKD)and its prevalence is significantly higher inthe elderly population. Hypertension is one of the most prevalent and important modifiable cardiovascular risk factors for myocardial infarction, strokes, congestive cardiac failure, renal insufficiency and peripheral vascular disease [1,2,3]. Hypertension in the elderly, i.e. systolic blood pressure (SBP) 140 or above and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) 90 or above in patients aged 60 years or more is considered to be a major factor that increases the mortality and morbidity in the elderly population [4,5]. The benefits of antihypertensive drug therapy for older persons have been clearly established. Results from trials and metaanalyses have shown that antihypertensive drug treatment for older hypertensive persons confers highly significant and clinically relevant reductions in cardiovascular morbidity and mortality rates. A considerable percentage of older persons with hypertension are not detected or are not adequately treated for hypertension.[6]
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