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Antibypertemive tR in elderly Americam

The annual incidence of newly treated hyperten­sion in elderly Americans between June 1990 and June 1991 was 5.2% in women and 5.6% in men. according to data from 4406 elderly participants in the Cardiovascular Health Study.

1613 of the participants used antihypertensives both at baseline and 1 year later. During the study period. 144 started and 115 stopped antihypertensive therapy. Patients starting therapy were twice as likely to receive ACE inhibitors or calcium antagonists than they were to receive diuretics of ~-blockers. Likewise. in continuous users. the use of calcium antagonists and ACE inhibitors increased slightly. whereas diuretic use decreased slightly.

Despite these findings. the use of diuretics in elderly patients should have increased after June 1991 say the study authors. because of results of 3 large clinical trials and a new recommendation by the Joint National Committee which advocates diuretics and ~-blockers as first-line agents in hypertension. Psaty BM, Savage PJ, Tell as. Polak JF, Hirsch C, et aI. Temporal patterns of antihypertensive medication use among elderly patients. The Cardio­vascular Health Study. Journal of the American Medical Association 270: 1837-1841,20 Oct 1993 1IIIl22876>

23 Oct 1993 INPHARMAe

THERAPY

ISSN 0156-2703/9311023-00161$1.00° Ad18lntern11t1oMl Ltd