Treatment of hypertension in the elderly reduces the incidence of cardiovascular events. Some classes of antihypertensive drugs, including long-acting dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers such as amlodipine, can be prescribed in the presence of comorbid conditions. The results of clinical trials support the use of long-acting dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers in the elderly; amlodipine has been shown to be effective and well tolerated in the elderly population.