Abstract
To the Editor: In their article on "Management of Hypertension in the Elderly" in the June 19 issue, O'Malley and O'Brien recommend that elderly patients should not be treated for hypertension until the diastolic blood pressure is 110 mm Hg or more, unless the systolic blood pressure is greater than 180 or complications are present, in which case they would consider treatment if the diastolic blood pressure was above 100. This recommendation is not consistent with the findings of the report of the Hypertension Detection and Follow-up Program, which demonstrated definite benefit in patients 60 to 69 years of age . . .