Diet or diuretic? Treatment of newly diagnosed mild to moderate hypertension in the elderly

Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess the effectivity of thalidone group, one with side effects and another after a myocardial infarction. Although blood pressure (BP) dietary measures in the treatment of hypertension. Therefore, a single-blind randomised clinical trial was in the diet group decreased less than in the drug group, of the patients in the diet group 45% fell back to a norcarried out in elderly persons with recently diagnosed hypertension. Patients were recruited from a general mal systolic and 50% to a normal diastolic BP (drug treatment group, systolic 75% and diastolic 85%). In practice (6555 persons) during visits or after written invitation or invitation by phone. New hypertensive contrast with the diet group, lipid spectrum and blood glucose concentration in the diuretic group, however, patients (with measurements taken on three different occasions Ͼ159 mm Hg systolic and/or Ͼ Ͼ Ͼ94 mm Hg deteriorated slightly. The dietary intervention was effective in elderly diastolic), aged 60-80 years, without target-organ damage, dementia, diabetes mellitus or malignant diseasepatients with a systolic or diastolic BP in the range of 160-180 and 95-100 mm Hg, respectively. Reduction in entered a 3-month intervention programme of either intensive dietary counselling, receiving a sodiumweight should be the primary aim. It is argued that sodium reduction can be achieved better by collective reduced (Ͻ Ͻ Ͻ100 mmol/24h), potassium-enriched (Ͼ Ͼ Ͼ75 mmol/24h), and weight-reducing diet (BMI Ͻ Ͻ Ͻ25), or measures. In patients with a BP of more than 180 mm Hg systolic or 100 mm Hg diastolic, dietary advice and drug only 25 mg chlorthalidone a day.Forty-two newly diagnosed hypertensive subjects met treatment should be combined. the inclusion criteria. Two dropped out from the chlor-

A review of non-pharmacological methods to control hypertension in older people

“…24 This again demonstrated a useful reduction in blood pressure with dietary manipulations, although this was less than that achieved with drug therapy. However, the drug-treated group experienced a worsening of lipid spectrum and blood glucose.…”