The effect of a standard meal on arterial blood pressure (ABP) was investigated in a group of 14 healthy elderly subjects (age greater than or equal to 65 years) and 11 controls (age less than or equal to 45 years) by means of automated noninvasive ABP monitoring. The magnitude of postprandial ABP reduction was significantly greater in the elderly subjects (systolic ABP: -22.3 +/- 4.9 vs. -7.5 +/- 2.2 mm Hg; p less than 0.05; diastolic ABP: -13.7 +/- 3.1 vs. -6.2 +/- 1.4 mm Hg; p less than 0.05) and ABP decrease was not compensated by heart rate acceleration.