Intensive Blood Pressure Control in Adults 75 and Older: What the SPRINT Findings Mean
The SPRINT findings suggest that for many community-dwelling adults age 75 and older, intensive systolic blood pressure control to less than 120 mm Hg may reduce the risk of major cardiovascular events and death compared with a standard target of less than 140 mm Hg. The benefits were seen even in some older adults with signs of frailty, and the study did not show a higher fall risk in the intensive-treatment group. However, these results should not be applied automatically to every older adult, especially those in nursing homes, assisted living, or with very different health conditions. Safe treatment depends on accurate blood pressure measurement, careful patient selection, regular follow-up, medication tolerance, and watching for side effects such as dizziness, weakness, kidney issues, or near-falls.