Abstract
1. Although systolic blood pressure elevation is responsible for increased incidence of cardiovascular accidents in old people, the preventive benefit of lowering systolic hypertension in elderly has not been confirmed.
2. A double blind study comparing the effects of a placebo and of an active regimen (hydrochloro-thiazide-triamterene with or without methyldopa) in people over 60 years with isolated systolic hypertension has been undertaken by the European Working Party on High blood pressure in the Elderly (EWPHE).
3. The actively treated group shows a lowered sitting blood pressure (-15/6 mm Hg), a mild increase of serum creatine, serum uric acid and blood glucose and a mild decrease of serum potassium after two years of treatment when compared to the spontaneous changes observed in the placebo treated group.
4. The study is continuing to evaluate if the blood pressure reduction prevents or reduces t he incidence of cardiovascular accidents, although some biochemical changes were provoked by the treatment.