Chowdhury EK, Nelson MR, Wing LMH, et al. - In a population of elderly hypertensive patients, researchers investigated if antihypertensive therapy led to alterations in blood pressure variability (BPV) over time. They also examined the link between such change (decline or increase) and long-term mortality. Among patients who took part in the Second Australian National Blood Pressure study, data were analyzed from a subset (n = 496) aged ≥ 65 years. These patients had baseline 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure recordings as well as follow-up recordings (after a median of 2 years while on treatment). Findings revealed that a reduction in average BPV was observed in elderly hypertensive patients during 2 years of follow-up following the start of antihypertensive treatment. Increased long-term mortality was observed in relation to having higher BPV (irrespective of any change).