High blood pressure increases the risk of cardiovascular events and organ damage in people regardless of age. But in the case of older old people, high blood pressure is found to increase the risk of mortality significantly. This study aims to assess the association of blood pressure with all-cause and cause-specific mortality among older old people.
This is a community-based, longitudinal prospective study that included a total of 4,658 oldest-old individuals (mean age 92.1 years). The primary outcomes of the study were all-cause and cause-specific mortality at three years of follow-up.
A total of 1,997 deaths were recorded during three years of follow-up. Mortality and pulse pressure, mean arterial pressure and systolic blood pressure (SBP) resulted in “U-shaped” associations. Adjustment for covariates suggested a U-shaped association only for systolic blood pressure. In the case of systolic blood pressure, the risk of all-cause mortality decreased for SBP values lower than 107 mm Hg and increased for values greater than 154 mm Hg. Increased levels of SBP were also associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular mortality.
The research concluded that mortality in older old people was associated with SBP levels in a U-shaped association. SBP levels under 107 mm Hg resulted in lower mortality risk, and SBP levels higher than 154 mm Hg resulted in higher mortality risk.
Ref: https://www.bmj.com/content/361/bmj.k2158
