Association between Frailty and Hypertension Prevalence, Treatment, and Control in the Elderly Korean Population

Abstract

Frailty is a common geriatric syndrome characterized by increased risk of disability, hospitalization, and mortality. Hypertension (HTN) is one of the most common chronic medical conditions in the elderly. However, there have been few studies regarding the association between frailty and HTN prevalence, treatment, and control rates. We analyzed data of 4,352 older adults (age ≥ 65 years) from the fifth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. We constructed a frailty index based on 42 items and classified participants as robust, pre-frail, or frail. Of the subjects, 2,697 (62.0%) had HTN and 926 (21.3%) had pre-HTN. Regarding frailty status, 721 (16.6%), 1,707 (39.2%), and 1,924 (44.2%) individuals were classified as robust, pre-frail and frail, respectively. HTN prevalence was higher in frail elderly (67.8%) than pre-frail (60.8%) or robust elderly (49.2%) (P < 0.001). Among hypertensive patients, frail elderly were more likely to be treated than pre-frail or robust elderly (P < 0.001), but the proportion of patients whose blood pressure was under control ( < 150/90 mmHg) was lower in frail elderly (P = 0.005). Considering the adverse cardiovascular outcomes associated with frailty, more attention should be paid to the blood pressure control of the frail elderly.

Frailty in Chinese older adults with hypertension: Prevalence, associated factors, and prediction for long‐term mortality

“…Frailty was independently and additively associated with left ventricular hypertrophy and reduced global longitudinal strain; greater left atrial volume index and abnormalities of cardiac structure and function together show the greatest association with frailty . Although we did not observe the cardiovascular outcomes in the present study, in a study conducted in Korean older population, frailty was associated with the adverse cardiovascular outcomes . Considering all the above, more attention should be paid to the blood pressure control in the frail older adults with hypertension.…”

Oriental herbal medicine for insomnia in the elderly with hypertension

“…Hypertension is not only a well-known cardiovascular risk factor, [ 16 ] but also related with an increased risk of morbidity, including metabolic disorders [ 17 ] and frailty. [ 18 ] In a recent large-scale cohort study, uncontrolled hypertension was also associated with increased risks of all-cause and cardiovascular disease mortality. [ 19 ] Treatments of hypertension usually involve the use of antihypertensives and lifestyle modifications including weight loss, Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet, sodium reduction, and increased physical activity.…”

A cross-sectional survey of prevalence and related factors for frail status among middle-aged and elderly people in Chinese communities

“…Even after adjusting for potential confounding factors, the higher the blood pressure level, the greater the chance of suffering from frailty. Also in previous studies, there was a strong association between hypertension and frailty, and it was con rmed that patients with frailty and pre-frailty had signi cant subclinical vascular and cardiac changes [33,34]. However, the conclusions of blood pressure and frailty research are divergent, and some authors have shown that measured mean blood pressure was lower in frail compared to non-frail individuals [35].…”