THE CHANGE IN QUALITY OF LIFE IN DRUG TREATED HYPERTENSIVE PATIENTS AFTER 10 YEARS OF ANTIHYPERTENSIVE TREATMENT.

According to our results physical functioning decreased and vitality, social functioning and mental health increased during 10 years of antihypertensive treatment. The decrease in physical functioning is probably explained by aging, because physical function decreases in normal population about 0.5/life year. Perhaps, good antihypertensive treatment explains the increase in those three mental parameters. Thus, it seems that according to the SF 36 questionnaire quality of life in Finnish treated hypertensive patients is quite good and do not decrease significantly during ageing.