Benefits and Harms of Treating Blood Pressure in Older Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis [Internet].

Hypertension is a very common chronic illness in the United States and among Veterans. Use of antihypertensive medications can lower the risk of cardiovascular disease, cerebrovascular disease, renal disease, and death. The most beneficial blood pressure targets for patients of specific age groups, however, has been a topic of some debate and controversy, stemming from concerns that the ratio of benefit to harm of a given blood pressure level may vary with age. In 2014, the Joint National Committee on the Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure (previously JNC-FG8, referred to in this report as JNC-BP) published new guidelines for the treatment of hypertension, as well as a new treatment goal for older individuals (over age 60) for systolic blood pressure (SBP) of

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