Hypertension after acute ischemic stroke in older patients: Effect on neurological outcome

Transiently high blood pressure (BP) is common during the first 24 to 48 hour after the onset of stroke symptoms, but whether to lower high BP in patients with acute ischemic stroke is still matter of debate, particularly in old-old patients, because epidemiological surveys do not consider populations aged 75 and older. The medical records of 51 surviving patients who were admitted consecutively to the Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Division of Geriatrics for acute ischemic stroke and in whom 24-hour noninvasive BP monitoring was performed within 48 hours from stroke onset and on day 7 using SPACELABS or TAKEDA recorder were reviewed. In older persons, cerebral blood flow may be more vulnerable to reduced perfusion during orthostatic stress, and a sharp reduction in BP may precipitate new ischemic events10 and cause poor neurological and functional outcome.