[Benefits of hypertension treatment in the elderly].

The benefits of treatment of hypertension in the elderly have been demonstrated by the results of therapeutic trials conducted in subjects over the age of 60. In 1985, the EWPHE trial, which demonstrated that thiazide diuretics decreased the main cardiovascular complications observed in elderly hypertensives, opened the way to the demonstration of the preventive efficacy of other classes of antihypertensives. The high level of cardiovascular risk observed in the elderly explains why prescription of antihypertensives provides a greater benefit in elderly hypertensives than in younger hypertensives. In hypertensive patients over the age of 80, the benefits of drug-induced blood pressure reduction have been demonstrated in terms of prevention of nonfatal complications.