Calcium-channel blockers for hypertension in older patients

In a discussion of percutaneous coronary angioplasty in elderly patients, Dr. Sebastian Palmeri points out that preliminary data suggest that the procedure has a mortality rate comparable to that with thrombolytic therapy in older patients, while offering the potential advantage of producing fewer major bleeding complications, including intracranial hemorrhage. Drs. Edward McCluskey and Janice Schwartz review the use of calcium-channel blockers for hypertension in the elderly, indicating that this class of drugs may have significant advantages for treating this common disorder in older persons. Dr. Michael Rich discusses a recent report on thiamine deficiency in patients on chronic furosemide therapy, reviews a report from the Nurses' Health Study on low-dose aspirin for the prevention of cardiovascular disease in women, and concludes with news from the Council on Geriatric Cardiology.