What is the importance of isolated systolic hypertension in the elderly?
Isolated systolic hypertension is associated with a twofold to fourfold increase in the risk of myocardial infarction, left ventricular hypertrophy, kidney dysfunction, stroke, and cardiovascular mortality.
Even in patients who also have diastolic hypertension, the cardiovascular risk correlates more closely with the systolic than the diastolic BP. Among elderly patients, coronary heart disease risk varies directly with the systolic and pulse pressures and inversely with the diastolic pressure.
