Elderly care physicians Professor Stephen Jackson and Dr Nigel Beckett advise on blood-pressure management in the elderly.
This module will give a GP focused overview of antihypertensive prescribing in older people:
- The differences between measuring blood pressure in the older adult, compared to younger patients
- Advising patients on non-pharmacological treatment including dietary changes, weight loss and an increase in physical activity
- Identifying older patients who need pharmacological treatment
- Using low-dose diuretics for uncomplicated hypertension and long-acting calcium-channel blockers in isolated systolic hypertension
- Deciding which are the optimal classes of antihypertensive drugs to use in older adults
This module was first published on 23 June 2010 and was up to date with all key guidelines and evidence at that point. It will be reviewed as part of our routine update cycle by 23 June 2012 but will be updated sooner to reflect any key guideline changes.
Professor Stephen Jackson is professor of clinical gerontology and lead clinician at the department of gerontology, King's College Hospital
Dr Nigel Beckett is a consultant in elderly care at Guys and St Thomas's NHS Foundation Trust and honorary senior lecturer at Imperial College London
