018 – High Blood Pressure Treatment in Older Adults: Research Findings & Practical Tips

In This Episode:

Dr. K addresses the question “What should my blood pressure be?” for older adults. In this episode she covers:

• Why an expert group recommended a higher blood pressure (BP) treatment goal for older adults in late 2013
• Whether the newer blood pressure research (known as the SPRINT trial) means you should change your blood pressure treatment
• Why the usual ways of measuring BP in the doctor’s office are flawed, and how to better measure BP
• Why she recommends a certain BP goal for most older adults, and how seniors can decide if they want to aim for a lower BP goal

Related episode: 

016 – 3 Reasons to Have a Home Blood Pressure Monitor

Related Resources:

• 3 Ways Home Blood Pressure Monitors Help Older Adults
• Can This Treatment Help Me? There’s a Statistic for That (NY Times article about the number-needed-to-treat)
• What the New Blood Pressure Guidelines — & Research — Mean For Older Adults
• New Blood Pressure Study: What to Know About SPRINT-Senior & Other Research
• 6 Steps to Better High Blood Pressure Treatment for Older Adults