Profile of hypertension in elderly subjects.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To study clinical profile of hypertension in elderly subjects. METHODS: Two hundred and five consecutive subjects aged 60 years and above reporting to preventive cardiology clinic with cardiovascular disorders were studied. One hundred fifty six subjects (76.09%) were found to have essential hypertension (HTN). Newly detected hypertensives were classified as per JNC-VI classification. Detailed clinical examination and laboratory investigations were carried out to find evidence of associated ailments with HTN. RESULTS: Most of the patients belonged to 60-70 years age group. Mean age was 67.36 +/- 6.23 years (range 60 to 90 years) and male to female ratio was 1.441. Out of hypertensives 99 (63.46%) had HTN for long period, while 28 (17.94%), 17 (10.89%) and 12 (7.67%) belonged to mild, moderate and severe HTN categories, respectively. Out of newly detected hypertensives 14 (24.56%) were having isolated systolic HTN. Associated clinical conditions in hypertensives were coronary artery disease (CAD), non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM), cerebrovascular disease (CVD), left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in 69 (57.05%), 49 (31.41%), 37 (23.71%), 20 (12.80%) and 10 (6.4%) subjects, respectively. HTN alone was found in 31 (19.87%) subjects only. Since most of these patients had other concomitant illnesses such as CAD. NIDDM etc. therapy was initiated accordingly. Four (20%) patients with LVH died within short period of 1 to 12 weeks. CONCLUSION: HTN is the commonest cardiovascular disorder in elderly subjects. CAD, NIDDM and CVD are commonly associated clinical conditions. Patients with associated LVH have very high short term mortality.