Hypertension in elderly Egyptians

Abstract

Global census studies reveal that the elderly are the most rapidly growing population group in both industrialized and less industrialized nations. During 1991 and 1992, three major interventional trials dealt with hypertension in older subjects and the value of antihypertensive treatment in the elderly. These were the American Systolic Hypertension in the Elderly Program [‎SHEP]‎, the Swedish Trial in Old Patients with Hypertension [‎STOP-Hypertension]‎, and the British Medical Research Council Trial on treatment of hypertension in older adults. All three trials showed that therapy for hypertension in the elderly reduces the risk of stroke and cardiovascular events. In 1993 evidence from the Egyptian Hypertension Project highlighted hypertension as a national public health problem that must be addressed. Guidelines for primary prevention among all sectors of the community are discussed