Effect of posture on blood pressure in the elderly.

Abstract

The blood pressure was measured in the lying position and after I minute's quiet standing in 494 people aged 65 or more living at home.A drop of 20 mmHg or more in systolic pressure occurred on standing in 24 per cent, of 30 mmHg or more in 9 per cent, and of 40 mmHg or more in 5 per cent.The frequency of a fall on standing increased with age.Comparison between subjects whose pressure fell on standing and those in whom it did not showed that there was no significant difference in the frequency of various factors (organic brain disease, heart disease, absent ankle jerks, varicose veins, anaemia, urinary infection, a low serum sodium concentration, or the taking of potentially hypotensive drugs) taken singly, but that two or more of these factors were more often present in those whose pressure fell on standing.