Over-80s benefit from blood pressure drugs - The Guardian 1st April 2008

People over the age of 80 should routinely be considered for drugs to lower blood pressure, according to a new scientific study. It shows that the drugs, which are not normally prescribed to very elderly people, could reduce death rates by a fifth and heart disease by more than 60%. Doctors usually see higher blood pressure readings in older people as natural. There has been a lack of clinical trial information on how the drugs affect older people; doctors also tend to avoid blood pressure medication because many elderly patients are already on a lot of drugs.

Link to Article

Additional Story

Treating the over 80s with blood pressure drugs can cut death rates by 21 per cent, study shows - Daily Mail 1st April 2008