Different patterns of orthostatic hypotension in older patients with unexplained falls or syncope: orthostatic hypotension patterns in older people

Orthostatic Hypotension and Cognitive Function in Individuals 85 Years of Age: A Longitudinal Cohort Study in Sweden

Orthostatic hypotension (OH) is more common in the elderly and associated with increased mortality. However, its implications for 85-year-olds are not known. In the prospective observational cohort study Elderly in Linköping Screening Assessment (ELSA 85), 496 individuals in Linköping, Sweden, were followed from age 85 years with cognitive assessments. Blood pressure (BP) was measured supine and after 1, 3, 5, and 10 minutes of standing. Participants with a BP fall of ≥20 mmHg systolic or ≥10 mmHg diastolic after 1 or 3 minutes were classified as classical continuous or classical transient OH depending on whether the BP fall was sustained or not, at subsequent measurements. Those with a BP fall of the same magnitude, but only after 5 or 10 minutes were classified as delayed OH. Of participants, 329 took part in BP measurements and were included. Of these, 156 (47.4%) had classical OH (113 [34.3%] continuous classical, 38 [11.6%] transient classical), and 15 (4.6%) had delayed OH. Cognitive assessments were not markedly different between groups. After 8.6 years, 195 (59.3%) of the participants had died, and delayed vs no OH was associated with twice the risk of all-cause mortality, HR 2.15 (95% CI 1.12-4.12). Transient classical OH was associated with reduced mortality, HR 0.58 (95% CI 0.33-0.99), but not after multiple adjustments, and continuous classical OH was not associated with mortality. OH may have different implications for morbidity and mortality in 85-year-olds compared with younger populations.

Nonpharmacologic Management of Orthostatic Hypotension in Older People: A Systematic Review. The SENATOR ONTOP Series

OBJECTIVES

Nonpharmacologic therapies are often recommended as a first-line treatment for orthostatic hypotension (OH). However, the true effect of nonpharmacologic therapy remains unclear, particularly in the older population. We undertook a systematic review evaluating the efficacy of nonpharmacologic interventions in older people with OH to provide evidence-based recommendations.

DESIGN

Systematic review of systematic reviews.

SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS

MEDLINE, PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, CINHAL, and PsycINFO were searched up to June 2018. Two reviewers identified eligible systematic reviews from which primary studies were selected. We included both randomized and nonrandomized studies that evaluated any type of nonpharmacologic intervention and reported outcomes of change in postural drop in systolic blood pressure (SBP) and/or orthostatic symptoms measured using any validated instrument. The Cochrane risk of bias tool was used, with recommendations based on the GRADE approach.

RESULTS

Eleven trials were included. Meta-analysis of lower limb compression showed a reduction in the postural drop in SBP of 9.83 mmHg [95% confidence interval (CI) -12.56, -7.11], whereas abdominal compression showed a larger reduction in postural drop in SBP of 12.30 mmHg (95% CI -18.20, -6.39). Compression therapy was also beneficial in reducing OH symptoms. However, the quality of the evidence for compression therapy was very poor. One study each was identified for sleeping with head-up (SHU), home-based resistance training (HBRT), and multicomponent intervention but did not significantly reduce postural SBP drop. Bolus water drinking was effective in 1 study but the study was of low quality.

CONCLUSIONS/IMPLICATIONS

There is no high-quality evidence to recommend any of the nonpharmacologic therapies for the management of OH in older people. Yet, we make a weak recommendation for lower limb and abdominal compression therapy based on very low quality evidence. Large-scale trials are warranted in older people to substantiate the efficacy of nonpharmacologic therapies in OH.