Hypertension treatment for older people-navigating between Scylla and Charybdis

Hypertension is a common condition in older people, but is often one of many conditions, particularly in frail older people, and so is rarely managed in isolation in the real world-which belies the bulk of the evidence upon which is treatment decisions are often based. In this article, we discuss the issues of ageing, including frailty and dementia, and their impact upon blood pressure management. We examine the evidence base for managing hypertension in older people, and explore some therapeutic ideas that might influence treatment decisions and strategies, including shared decision making.