The results of a new study suggest that cold weather may become the cause of high blood pressure in elderly.

In their study that included 8,801 older adults (65 and over), the researchers, from the Institut National de la Sante et de la Recherche Medicale, Paris, found that seasonal changes caused increase and drop in the systolic and diastolic blood pressures. The researchers noticed that in cold weather systolic blood pressure was 5 points higher than in summer season. The systolic blood pressure of the 33.4% older adults in winter was higher than 159 and diastolic blood pressure was higher than 94mm.

The study has been published in the Archives of Internal Medicine 12 Jan issue.

It has not been found what the basic reason behind this correlation. According to the study authors it might be linked with the baroreflex that is a blood pressure related mechanism and in elderly this mechanism is modified that proves helpful to control stress response and other such involuntary actions.

In some previous studies it has been found that seasonal change cause variation in blood pressure, but it was not specific to the older adults.

“The study shows that there is not a casual, but serious link between outer temperature and blood pressure, and it may help to find some effective treatment for higher blood pressure in older adults,” the lead author of the study says.