According to a new study in the journal Age and Ageing, a significant proportion of patients over 70 remain on antihypertensive medication despite having low blood pressure. This, the study argues, has a significant effect on increased mortality rates and admissions to hospital.

After analysing results of 11,167 patients over 70 years old, the researchers from CHSS at the University of Kent and East Kent Hospitals found that hypotension was independently associated with increased morality and hospital admissions. Of the 1899 people with some degree of low blood pressure, 1246 of these were on antihypertensive medication (lowering blood pressure).