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Clinicians might wish to deprescribe antihypertensive medications for older patients because of concerns about polypharmacy and relative hypotension. In this U.K. study, 569 patients (age, ≥80) who were taking two or more hypertension drugs were randomized to a deprescribing strategy or to usual care. At baseline, all patients had systolic blood pressure (SBP) lower than 150 mm Hg; those with heart failure or recent adverse cardiovascular events were excluded. In the deprescribing group, physicians reviewed patients' medication regimens and used a medication reduction algorithm to determine which drugs would be removed. Treatment was reinstated if SBP rose above 150 mm Hg or diastolic BP was >90 mm Hg for longer than 1 week.
Medication reduc…