Hypertension & The Elderly

High blood pressure, or hypertension, is bad, as is low blood pressure. We will need to keep our blood pressure within the recommended healthy range. Right? Well, in most cases, yes. When it comes to the elderly, however, the situation is less clear cut.

- Dr Nor I'zzati Saedon

LET’S START BY DEFINING “ELDERLY”

Based on the World Health Organization (WHO), people aged 65 and above are defined as “old”. However, this definition can change considerably from place to place.

In Malaysia, the definition of older adult closely relates with age of retirement. Here, anyone over 60 years old is considered as an older citizen.

THE UPS AND DOWNS OF BLOOD PRESSURE

High is not good.

We have been fed with a lot of information on high blood pressure and its consequences. The complications of high blood pressure – or what we are all familiar with, hypertension – is devastating. It can lead to heart attack, stroke and kidney failure.

But low is not good, either.

A low blood pressure can be equally problematic. This is because the body needs a stable flow or perfusion of blood throughout the body, to supply every part of the body with much-needed oxygen and nutrients as well as to remove accumulated wastes and potentially harmful substances.

So, when our body has a low blood pressure situation, the body experiences a shortage of oxygen and nutrients. Should these occur to essential organs such as our brain, heart and even kidneys, these organs may fail. We will experience dizziness, light-headedness, reduced awareness or even alertness when oxygen supply to the brain is impaired.

FOR OLDER ADULTS, THE HIGHS AND LOWS ARE LESS CLEAR CUT

Among older adults, the blood vessels have been subjected to years of microfriction due to blood moving through them.