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Although there’s no doubt that antihypertensive drugs reduce cardiovascular events among all age groups, they’re not without adverse effects for frail, older people. A retrospective analysis of data from general practice in the United Kingdom highlighted an increased risk of hospitalisation or death from falls among people taking antihypertensive medication, particularly in patients with dementia ( Plos Med doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.1004731). Among people with dementia taking antihypertensive drugs, the annual rate of falls was 47 per 10 000, compared with 14 per 10 000 in those without cognitive impairment.