The effects of caloric restriction and controlled physical exercise on hypertension in the elderly.

The overweight and sedentary life style are associated with elevated blood pressure values in the elderly patients. The first step in the therapy of arterial hypertension should be hygienic-behavioral measures in order to modify the life style of the patients. The present study evaluates the independent effects of caloric restriction and physical exercise on the blood pressure and on the anti-hypertensive treatment in elderly subjects with mild-moderate hypertension. The number of enrolled patients was 74 in the age range of 61-72 years, showing up in our Geriatric Day Hospital. The results obtained confirm that the non-pharmacological measures represent a valid alternative to the pharmacological treatment of hypertension in the elderly patients, or may be applied in combination with the latter, in order to reduce the doses of pharmaca.