In a small study of 24 patients, Hausdorff et al. compared the gait characteristics of normal and otherwise healthy hypertensive older adults. There was a small, but significant, association between some of the balance and gait measures with measures of blood pressure and heart rate. The normotensive subjects had more stable gaits (reduced stride-to-stride variability during swing phase), better performance on the timed Up and Go, higher fractal scaling index of gait (less random), and better postural control. Conversely patients with elevated blood pressure (BP) had worse performance. Elevated standing systolic BP was correlated with worse Up and Go times. Higher standing heart rates were associated with better performance in balance and gait.