Relationship between blood pressure and frailty in older hypertensive outpatients

BACKGROUND: The benefits and risks of treating hypertension in old and frail patients are debated. AIM: The aim of the present study is to measure the frailty status in older patients with hypertension and determine the relationships existing between blood pressure (BP) values and frailty. METHODS: Frailty was retrospectively assessed by using the frailty index (FI) in 56 hypertensive old outpatients. Patients with an FI > 0.25 were classified as frail. RESULTS: Forty-five out of 56 (80%) had a FI > 0.25. A statistically significant inverse correlation was found between FI and systolic BP (r = -0.319, p = 0.016), orthostatic systolic BP (r = -0.408, p = 0.002), orthostatic diastolic BP (r = -0.299, p = 0.025), and orthostatic pulse pressure (r = -0.297, p = 0.026). DISCUSSION: Frailer subjects appear as over-treated according to current European guidelines. CONCLUSIONS: FI can play an important role in the clinical setting by supporting the identification of subjects at risk and allowing an improved provision of adapted and personalized care.