[Treatment of elderly hypertension based on various hypertension management guidelines--comparison between European and American guidelines and Japanese guidelines].

In civilized countries blood pressure is increased in association with age. Elderly population is lately increased both in Japan and Western countries and therefore elderly hypertensive patients are expected to increase. Recently, several guidelines and statements for the treatment of hypertension, such as JNC 7, 2003 ESH/ESC, 2003 WHO/ISH, and BSH IV, are reported in Western countries. In Japan, Japanese Society of Hypertension reported guidelines for management of hypertension in 2000 (JSH 2000) and JSH 2000 is now revised and a new version was published at the end of 2004 (JSH 2004). In this article, management of hypertension (when starts the treatment, target blood pressure level, and choice of drugs, etc) in the elderly is described based on these guidelines and statements.