Dagmara Reingardienė

Clinic of Intensive Care, Kaunas University of Medicine

Key words: isolated systolic hypertension, hypertension in the elderly, high blood pressure.

Summary. Isolated systolic hypertension (ISH) is defined as a sustained systolic blood pressure >140 mmHg and a diastolic pressure <90 mmHg. Various clinical trials concluded that elevated systolic blood pressure in the elderly was more significant than elevated diastolic blood pressure. The prevalence of ISH increases with advancing age, and it is now estimated that 20 per cent of persons 75 years of age are affected. ISH has proved to be an important cause of morbidity and mortality.

In this review article is discussed about frequency of ISH, about pathophysiology of hypertension in the elderly, diagnostic possibilities, the risks associated with ISH (stroke, coronary events, renal failure, congestive heart disease etc.), the need to lower systolic blood pressure.