Daniel Pella, Viola Mechírová
Systolic hypertension (SH) is a major public health concern. Once considered an inconsequential part of the aging process, an age-associated rise in systolic blood pressure occurs as a consequence of increased arterial stiffness and contributes to a high prevalence of systolic hypertension in older age. Elevated systolic blood pressure imparts a predilection toward the onset of vascular events, highlighting the importance of its control. Current philosophy ranks systolic pressure as the most relevant component of blood pressure for determining risk for cardiovascular and other events in hypertensive patients, particularly those over 50 years of age. Despite its prognostic role, systolic blood pressure remains more difficult to control than diastolic blood pressure, and most middle-age and older hypertensive patients fail to achieve recommended targets. Improving patients outcomes could be on antihypertensive therapy that appropriately addresses control of systolic and pulse pressure, underscoring the importance of therapeutic options that effectively reduce arterial stiffness.