Original scientific paper

Hypertension in elderly patients with a kidney transplant

LIDIJA ORLIĆ ; Department of Nephrology, University Hospital Rijeka, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia
BRANKA SLADOJE-MARTINOVIĆ ; Department of Nephrology, University Hospital Rijeka, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia
SRETENKA VUKSANOVIĆ-MIKULIČIĆ ; Department of Nephrology, University Hospital Rijeka, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia
STELA ŽIVČIĆ ĆOSIĆ ; Department of Nephrology, University Hospital Rijeka, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia
SANJIN RAČKI ; Department of Nephrology, University Hospital Rijeka, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia

Abstract

Introduction: A large number of patients today with terminal kidney
failure are elderly. For a small number of these patients a kidney transplant is a possible meth d of treatment.

Aim: The goal of this work was to investigate the prevalence of hypertension among kidney transplant patients above the age of 65 and to analyze anti-hypertension therapy.

Methods: The investigation included 27 patients, 15 male and 12 female, above the age of 65 who received a kidney transplant. The average age of the patients was 71.2±5.6 years. The average time spent on dialysis before the transplant was 2.7±2.1 years. The amount of time that had passed since the transplant was 6.6±4.6 years. The average values of creatinine were 135±38.2 μmol/L.

Results: Of the number of patients analyzed, 25 (93%) had hypertension. In the anti-hypertension therapy five (20%) patients were taking one antihypertensive drug, 14 (56%) patients were taking two drugs and six (24%) patients were taking three or more drugs. The most frequently taken medicine was a calcium channel blocker (68%) and together angiotensin receptor blockers (ARB) and ACE-inhibitors (44%;32%). Of the analyzed patients, 13 (52%) achieved the target values for blood pressure.

Conclusion: From the data acquired we can conclude that prevalence of hypertension in the elderly group of patients is very high. Also, in half of these patients the target values for blood pressure were achieved. The most frequently used antihypertensives among older patients were calcium channel blocker or ARB and ACE-inhibitors.

Keywords

Hrčak ID:

74107

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/74107

Publication date:

31.10.2011.

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