To assess the prevalences of hypertension, rates of medication recommendations and failure rates of blood pressure(BP)control in Chinese elderly patients(≥65 years old).

We used data from the 2011 China Health and Nutrition Survey(CHNS). A total of 2, 391 Chinese adults aged≥65 years with complete information comprising BP measurements repeated three times and antihypertensive medication use were included for analysis.

The mean age of subjects was 72.6±6.2 years, and females accounted for 53.1%.The numbers of patients with hypertension were 1784(74.6%)and 1221(51.1%)according to the definitions from 2017 ACC/AHA guideline and the 2010 Chinese guideline, respectively.There was a significant difference in the prevalence of hypertension in the subgroup with a cardiovascular disease(CVD)history according to the definitions from the two guidelines(χ²=23.70, P<0.01). The BP thresholds for drug therapy recommendations were the same as those set in the diagnostic criteria of hypertension based on the two guidelines.Therefore, the rates for medication recommendations were 74.6% and 51.1%, respectively.The numbers of patients with BP above the target levels were 622(88.2%)and 346(49.1%), respectively, according to the definitions from the two guidelines.There was no significant difference in failure rate of BP control due to age(χ²=5.36, P>0.05), gender(χ²=0.12, P>0.05)or a CVD history(χ²=0.07, P>0.05)according to analyses using the definitions from the two guidelines.

Compared with the 2010 Chinese hypertension guideline, the prevalence of hypertension and rate of medication recommendations are higher in the Chinese elderly population when the 2017 ACC/AHA hypertension guideline is used.Hypertension management and antihypertensive drug treatment should be reinforced to improve the control rate of hypertension.

Hypertension; Guideline