The prevalence of hypertension among the elderly in patients in Al-Zahra Hospital, Isfahan, Iran

   BACKGROUND: In this study, we discussed aging and common diseases associated with it which can lead to hospitalization. Hypertension was also evaluated as one of the factors affecting morbidity and mortality in elderly people.      METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, data was collected using checklists and extracting information from medical records in Al-Zahra Hospital (Isfahan, Iran). Data was then analyzed using descriptive statistics according to the research questions in SPSS.    RESULTS: A total number of ۱۱,۰۱۸ people aged ۶۰-۹۹ years were studied. Cardiovascular diseases were the most common cause of hospitalization (۲۰۶۳ patients (۱۸.۷%)). In patients with cardiovascular diseases, ۸۴ were suffering from hypertension, ۷۶ had primary hypertension, ۷ had hypertensive heart disease with or without congestive heart failure, and ۱ had secondary hypertension. Among all hypertensive patients, there were ۳۷ males (۴۴.۰۵%) and ۴۷ females (۵۵.۹۵%). Moreover, ۳۴ people aged ۶۰-۶۹, ۳۰ aged ۷۰-۷۹, ۱۸ aged ۸۰-۸۹ and ۲ aged ۹۰-۹۹ years. Duration of hospitalization was less than ۱ day for ۱۲ people, ۱-۲ days for ۲۷, ۳-۵ days for ۲۵, ۶-۱۰ days for ۱۴, ۱۵-۱۱ days for ۶, and more than ۱۵ days for ۱ person.      CONCLUSION: Prevention and treatment of hypertension is important in order to control this disease. Untreated or poorly/untimely controlled hypertension would thus leave permanent side effects. It may thus leave sustained side effects if remain untreated or poorly/untimely controlled. However, people with hypertension were in minority in our study. Therefore, more research in this field with larger sample size is necessary for further identification of factors affecting quality of life in elderly people.   Keywords: Elderly, Hypertension, Cardiovascular Disease, Hospitalized