Prevalence of post-prandial hypotension in elderly people in Piura - Peru

Abstract

Postprandial Hypotension (PH) occurs frequently in the elderly. The present is a prospective study which examined the prevalence of this phenomenon as a haemodynamic response to the ingestion of meals. In a randomized group of 202 patients 60 years of age the basic values of arterial blood pressure were compared with the values taken 15; 30 and 45 minutes after the ingestion of food in three different meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner. The systolic blood pressure (SBP) declined by 101mm Hg. In 136 patients who were considered cases of PH; the diastolic arterial blood pressure (DBP) also went down to 51nm Hg in 109 patients. The average in decline of the SBP was 14.36 mm Hg. (±1) and for the DBP was 10.06 mm Hg. (±1). The biggest number of events of PH occurred in relating to morning meals: 101 patients at breakfast and 10 at lunch time ; against 90 patients who showed it at dinner time. In one large group of patients (40 patients) the phenomenon occurred in the three principals meals. For out of 85 patients with hypertension included in the present study 67 patients experienced PH. A short monitoring of the arterial blood pressure after meals is recommended in elderly people who are under treatment with drugs especially antihypertensive drugs in order to determine the presence of PH as a risk factor for presentation of syncope and falls because of the high prevalence of PH in this group of age.