Use of beta-blockers for uncomplicated hypertension in the elderly: a cause for concern

• Published in: Journal of human hypertension Vol. 21; no. 4; pp. 271 - 275
• Main Authors: Tu, K, Campbell, N R C, Chen, Z, McAlister, F A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Nature Publishing Group 01.04.2007
• Subjects: Adrenergic beta blockers; Adrenergic beta-Antagonists - therapeutic use; Age Factors; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Analysis of Variance; Antihypertensive Agents - therapeutic use; Antihypertensives; Assisted Living Facilities; Beta blockers; Confounding Factors (Epidemiology); Diabetes mellitus; Diagnosis; Dosage and administration; Drug therapy; Drug Utilization - trends; Female; Health aspects; Humans; Hypertension; Hypertension - drug therapy; Hypertension - epidemiology; Male; Multivariate analysis; Ontario - epidemiology; Population studies; Predictive Value of Tests; Prevalence; Research Design; Retrospective Studies; Sex Factors; Sex ratio; Social Class; Treatment Outcome; Ontario; Canada

Beta-blockers are less beneficial than other antihypertensive drugs in the elderly with hypertension. All elderly patients in Ontario, Canada (population over 3.5 million elderly) without co-morbidities who were first treated for hypertension with a beta-blocker were studied in a retrospective popul...