Effect of a meal on blood pressure in the elderly.

As post-prandial hypotension may be a cause of falls in older people, blood pressure was measured for one hour following a test meal in 22 elderly patients. There was a small fall in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure but no change in heart rate. Although the changes were small and no symptoms occurred, post-prandial hypotension might be important in elderly patients who had other abnormalities in blood pressure regulation.