Care Is Needed to Apply Hypertension Guidelines to Community-Living Older Adults Aged 60 Years and Over

Guidelines for blood pressure (BP) treatment initiation and targets have been developed based on evidence from randomized controlled trials (RCTs). A definition of 140/90 for older adults is generally adopted.1 Recent reviews suggested a target of 130/80 based on RCTs.2 Optimal control of BP reduces risk of cardiovascular disease morbidity and mortality;3 however, few RCTs include older adults that are representative of those living in the community with multimorbidity, frailty, cognitive impairment, or varying degrees of dependency in the long-term care setting.