There were 138 total cardiovascular events in the group taking medication; 193 in the placebo group, translating into a 34% reduction.
The HYVET Trial therefore suggests that blood pressure treatment can indeed be undertaken in the elderly with substantial potential benefits not offset by adverse effects on non-cardiovascular health.
Next question: If HYVET suggests that people in older age ranges obtain benefit from reducing blood pressure to 150/80, will there be additional benefit by reducing it further, much as it does in younger age groups? As helpful as HYVET is in understanding hypertension in older people, it does not settle this issue. We'll have to wait for more research to settle that question.
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