A Student Nurse Is Taking Care of an Elderly Patient

A student nurse is taking care of an elderly patient with hypertension during a clinical experience. The instructor asks the student about the relationships between BP and age. What would be the best answer by the student?

A) Because of reduced smooth muscle tone in blood vessels, blood pressure tends to go down with age, not up.
B) Decreases in the strength of arteries and the presence of venous insufficiency cause hypertension in the elderly.
C) Structural and functional changes in the cardiovascular system that occur with age contribute to increases in blood pressure.
D) The neurologic system of older adults is less efficient at monitoring and regulating blood pressure.