Address of Corresponding Author

Gerontology 2005;51:53-61 (DOI: 10.1159/000081436)

  Key Words

• Elderly
• Aging
• Mortality
• Blood pressure
• Cognitive impairment

  Abstract

Background: Controversial data are available on the association between mortality, blood pressure and cognitive impairment in the elderly. Objective: To verify the role of blood pressure on mortality in an elderly population with and without cognitive impairment. Methods: A cross-sectional survey with a 6-year mortality evaluation was conducted in a region of southern Italy in elderly subjects with and without cognitive impairment. Subjects were divided into 4 groups on the basis of systolic, diastolic, mean and pulse blood pressure values. Results: Mortality shows a linear relationship with pulse blood pressure and a U-curve shape for diastolic blood pressure. This phenomenon was more evident in subjects with cognitive impairment showing the greatest risk of mortality at the lowest and highest levels of diastolic blood pressure. Conclusion: The study shows that mortality increases linearly with increasing blood pressure in the elderly. In contrast, mortality shows a U-shape curve for diastolic blood pressure; cognitively impaired patients with the lowest and highest diastolic blood pressures show the greatest relative risk of mortality.

Copyright © 2005 S. Karger AG, Basel

  Author Contacts

Dr. Pasquale Abete, MD, PhD
Cattedra di Geriatria, Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica
Scienze Cardiovascolari ed Immunologiche, Università degli Studi di Napoli 'Federico II'
Via S. Pansini, 5, IT-80131 Naples (Italy)
Tel. +39 081 746 2270, Fax +39 081 746 2339, E-Mail p.abete@unina.it

  Article Information

Received: August 4, 2003
Accepted: March 30, 2004
Number of Print Pages : 9
Number of Figures : 2, Number of Tables : 3, Number of References : 57