Papers And Short Reports
Blood pressure and five year survival in the very old
Br Med J (Clin Res Ed) 1988; 296 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.296.6626.887 (Published 26 March 1988) Cite this as: Br Med J (Clin Res Ed) 1988;296:887
- Kari Mattila,
- Matti Haavisto,
- Sulo Rajala,
- Rauno Heikinheimo
Abstract
During 1977-8 we measured blood pressure in 561 old people (83% of those aged 85 or more living in Tampere) and analysed their five year survival according to their blood pressure group. The subjects were divided into six groups on the basis of their blood pressures (from <120 to >200 mm Hg systolic, from <70 to >110 diastolic). The greatest mortality was observed in those in the lowest systolic and lowest diastolic groups. Mortality was least in subjects with systolic pressures of 160 mm Hg or more and diastolic pressures of 90 mm Hg or more.
The most essential finding in this series of the very old was an increased mortality in the lowest blood pressure groups.