老老年人群动态血压参数与动脉僵硬度的相关性

目的探讨老老年人群动态血压参数与动脉僵硬度的相关性。方法筛选年龄≥80岁的老老年人238例,以血压≥160/95 mm Hg(1 mm Hg=0.133 kPa)为标准,分为高血压组(134例)和对照组(104例),并进行臂-踝脉搏传导速度(baPWV)和24 h动态血压监测。用Pearson分析动态血压各参数与动脉僵硬度的相关性。结果高血压组baPWV高于对照组(P<0.05)。高血压组偶测收缩压,24 h、昼间和夜间收缩压、舒张压、脉压,收缩压负荷及舒张压负荷均高于对照组.夜间收缩压下降率、舒张压下降率低于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05,P<0.01)。baPWV与偶测血压;24 h收缩压、舒张压、脉压;昼间收缩压、舒张压、脉压、心率;夜间收缩压、舒张压、脉压;收缩压负荷、舒张压负荷呈正相关(P<0.05,P<0.01),而与夜间收缩压下降率呈负相关(P<0.01)。结论高血压是老老年人群动脉僵硬度增加的一个重要因素,动脉僵硬度与动态血压、脉压、心率及血压负荷相关。     

Conventional antihypertensive drug therapy does not prevent the increase of pulse pressure with age

Increased pulse pressure (PP), an independent predictor of cardiovascular risk, may be quantified on the basis of the prevalence of isolated systolic hypertension (ISH) in the population at large. The purpose of this study was to estimate the prevalence of ISH and its relation to age and drug therapy in a large group of outpatient hypertensive subjects in France. Between March and December 1999, 2975 French general practitioners included 17 716 consecutive patients with uncontrolled hypertension (systolic blood pressure [SBP] >140 mm Hg and/or diastolic blood pressure [DBP] >90 mm Hg), either treated or not treated. They were asked to complete a questionnaire concerning associated cardiovascular risk factors and ongoing antihypertensive therapy. Subjects were classified according to 5 age ranges (from 18 to 103 years). In each age range, SBP, DBP, mean blood pressure, and PP were significantly lower (P<0.001) in treated subjects than in untreated subjects, with the exception of PP in subjects >75 years. The latter finding resulted from a significant increase of SBP and PP with age, together with a significant lowering of DBP with age, irrespective of drug treatment. Subsequently, the prevalence of ISH increased with age from 20.4% to 35.2% in men and women. In any given age range, drug therapy for hypertension is associated with marginally lower values of PP. In the studied populations, the increase of PP with age is independent of gender and of the presence of antihypertensive drug treatment, leading to an increased prevalence of ISH and a subsequent increase of cardiovascular risk with age.     

Prognostic significance of 24-h ambulatory blood pressure characteristics for cardiovascular morbidity in a population of elderly men

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the prognostic significance of 24-h ambulatory systolic (SBP), diastolic (DBP) and pulse pressure (PP), and blood pressure (BP) variability for cardiovascular morbidity in elderly men. DESIGN AND METHODS: Twenty-four hour ABP monitoring was performed in 70-year-old men (n = 872) participating in a longitudinal population-based study. The population was followed for up to 9.5 years, and the relationship between different blood pressure components and cardiovascular (CV) morbidity was assessed by Cox proportional hazard analysis. RESULTS: During follow-up, 172 CV events occurred (2.97 per 100 person-years). SBP and PP, both office and ambulatory, were significant predictors of CV morbidity. Twenty-four hour ambulatory PP [hazard ratio (HR) for 1 SD increase in BP 1.32, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.15-1.52] and daytime ambulatory PP (HR 1.29, 95% CI 1.13-1.48) predicted CV morbidity independently of office PP and other established CV risk factors. Addition of night-time PP to a regression model with daytime PP and covariates did not increase the predictive value. However, the variability of daytime SBP (adjusted HR 1.24, 95% CI 1.07-1.42) provided additional prognostic power, independently of the 24-h SBP level. CONCLUSIONS: Ambulatory PP was a powerful predictor of CV morbidity in elderly men, independently of office PP and other established cardiovascular risk factors. Moreover, variability of daytime SBP added important prognostic information, suggesting that 24-h ambulatory BP monitoring may contribute to an improved risk assessment in elderly subjects.     

Quantitative study of circadian variations of ambulatory blood pressure in Chinese healthy, hypertensive, and diabetes subjects

Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) recorded abundant data of BP and heart rate (HR) variations with even more derived parameters for evaluation of BP. Using our ABP database system established recently, we studied quantitatively the data of 24-hr ABP in Chinese. First, 155 Chinese were divided into three groups: 50 healthy subjects (C) of 20 men and 30 women, aged 60.0 +/- 10.3 (SD) years; 58 hypertensive patients (H, mild or moderate hypertension) of 33 men and 25 women, aged 59.4 +/- 8.0 years; 47 diabetes patients (D, type 2 diabetes, all were normotensive and with no insulin treatment) with 28 men and 19 women, aged 61.0 +/- 8.5 years. Then 24-hr ABP was monitored by TM-2421 Monitor and data were analyzed by ABP database, cosinor method, and conventional statistics. Our results were 4-fold: 1) systolic BP (SBP), diastolic BP (DBP), HR, rate-pressure product (HR x SBP) showed circadian variations, and significant circadian rhythms were confirmed by cosinor method in all groups. MESOR (midline estimate statistic of rhythm) differed significantly among three groups (H had the highest and C had the lowest values); 2) BP means (SBP, DBP, pulse pressure [PP], and HR x SBP) and BP loads (SBP, DBP, and PP) showed significant differences among the groups (H and D had higher values than that of C); 3) there were no significant differences of BP variability (BPV) of SBP, DBP, and PP among the groups; 4) areas under curve of BP (SBP, DBP, and PP) in H were significantly higher than in C and there was no significant difference between H and D. We concluded that ABPM can offer abundant information on BP evaluation by its direct recording data and derived parameters. The computerized way of treating the large numbers of ABPM values supplies a useful tool in evaluation of BP. Our results suggest that clinically normotensive diabetes patients had some pathological alterations in their BP systems.     

Quantitative Study of Circadian Variations of Ambulatory Blood Pressure in Chinese Healthy,Hypertensive, and Diabetes Subjects

Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) recorded abundant data of BP and heart rate (HR) variations with even more derived parameters for evaluation of BP. Using our ABP database system established recently, we studied quantitatively the data of 24-hr ABP in Chinese. First, 155 Chinese were divided into three groups: 50 healthy subjects (C) of 20 men and 30 women, aged 60.0 ± 10.3 (SD) years; 58 hypertensive patients (H, mild or moderate hypertension) of 33 men and 25 women, aged 59.4 ± 8.0 years; 47 diabetes patients (D, type 2 diabetes, all were normotensive and with no insulin treatment) with 28 men and 19 women, aged 61.0 ± 8.5 years. Then 24-hr ABP was monitored by TM-2421 Monitor and data were analyzed by ABP database, cosinor method, and conventional statistics. Our results were 4-fold: 1) systolic BP (SBP), diastolic BP (DBP), HR, rate-pressure product (HR × SBP) showed circadian variations, and significant circadian rhythms were confirmed by cosinor method in all groups. MESOR (midline estimate statistic of rhythm) differed significantly among three groups (H had the highest and C had the lowest values); 2) BP means (SBP, DBP, pulse pressure [PP], and HR × SBP) and BP loads (SBP, DBP, and PP) showed significant differences among the groups (H and D had higher values than that of C); 3) there were no significant differences of BP variability (BPV) of SBP, DBP, and PP among the groups; 4) areas under curve of BP (SBP, DBP, and PP) in H were significantly higher than in C and there was no significant difference between H and D. We concluded that ABPM can offer abundant information on BP evaluation by its direct recording data and derived parameters. The computerized way of treating the large numbers of ABPM values supplies a useful tool in evaluation of BP. Our results suggest that clinically normotensive diabetes patients had some pathological alterations in their BP systems.     

Importance of arterial pulse pressure as a predictor of coronary heart disease risk in PROCAM.

AIMS: To investigate pulse pressure (PP) as an independent predictor of coronary heart disease (CHD) risk. METHODS AND RESULTS: On the basis of a 10-year follow-up of 5389 men aged 35-65 at recruitment into PROCAM, we used a proportional hazards model to calculate the effect of systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and PP on CHD risk after correcting for age, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, smoking, diabetes, and family history of premature CHD. Increases of 10 mmHg in DBP, SBP, and PP were associated with an increased CHD hazard ratio (HR) of approximately 10%. When the group was divided into the age groups <50, 50-59, and >59 years, this relationship was seen in the age group 50-59 years for DBP, SBP, and PP and in men aged > or =60 for PP only (25% increase in HR). Overall, CHD risk in men with PP > or =70 mmHg was more three times that of men with PP <50 mmHg. This increased risk was not apparent at age <50 years, was greatest at age >60 years, and was also present in men who were normotensive at recruitment (SBP < or =160 mmHg, DBP < or =95 mmHg). CONCLUSION: In older European men, increased PP is an important independent determinant of coronary risk, even among those initially considered normotensive.     

Cardiovascular responses to physical exercise and tyramine infusion in hypertensive and normotensive subjects

The aim of our investigation was to assess blood pressure and heart rate variations in 20 essential hypertensive male in-patients (WHO class I and II) and in 20 normotensive healthy volunteers submitted to three provocation tests: isometric handgrip (IHG), bicycle ergometric exercise (BEE) and tyramine infusion (TI) given as i.v. boluses alternating with saline in a single-blind fashion. According to our data IHG induced a comparable rise of systolic BP, diastolic BP and heart rate both in hypertensive and normotensive subjects. BEE, compared with IHG, caused a more significant (P less than 0.01) rise in SBP and heart rate in both groups. By contrast, DBP during BEE was significantly increased in hypertensive (P less than 0.01), but slightly decreased in normotensive subjects (P = NS). TI caused a dose dependent SBP rise in both groups studied, while DBP and HR were unaffected. BP elevation was, however, more marked in hypertensive subjects. Confirming this finding significantly lower tyramine doses were required to produce the same SBP increase in hypertensives than in the normotensive volunteers. In short, SBP rise during TI and DBP rise during BEE may be the markers of an enhanced cardiovascular reactivity of hypertensive subjects. Our study suggests that BP reactivity to stress may be different according to the laboratory stress employed and also that BEE and TI are more useful than IHG for the assessment of an enhanced cardiovascular response to stress in hypertensive subjects.     

Improvement in blood pressure, arterial stiffness and wave reflections with a very-low-dose perindopril/indapamide combination in hypertensive patient: a comparison with atenolol

International guidelines recommend that antihypertensive drug therapy should normalize not only diastolic (DBP) but also systolic blood pressure (SBP). Therapeutic trials based on cardiovascular mortality have recently shown that SBP reduction requires normalization of both large artery stiffness and wave reflections. The aim of the present study was to compare the antihypertensive effects of the very-low-dose combination indapamide (0.625 mg) and perindopril (2 mg) (Per/Ind) with the beta-blocking agent atenolol (50 mg) to determine whether Per/Ind decreases SBP and pulse pressure (PP) more than does atenolol and, if so, whether this decrease is predominantly due to reduction of aortic pulse wave velocity (PWV) (automatic measurements) and reduction of wave reflections (pulse wave analysis, applanation tonometry). In a double-blind randomized study, 471 patients with essential hypertension were followed for 12 months. For the same DBP reduction, Per/Ind decreased brachial SBP (-6.02 mm Hg; 95% confidence interval, -8.90 to -3.14) and PP (-5.57; 95% confidence interval, -7.70 to -3.44) significantly more than did atenolol. This difference was significantly more pronounced for the carotid artery than for the brachial artery. Whereas the 2 antihypertensive agents decreased PWV to a similar degree, only Per/Ind significantly attenuated carotid wave reflections, resulting in a selective decrease in SBP and PP. The very-low-dose combination Per/Ind normalizes SBP, PP, and arterial function to a significantly larger extent than does atenolol, a hemodynamic profile that is known to improve survival in hypertensive populations with high cardiovascular risk.     

Status of home blood pressure measured in morning and evening: evaluation in normotensives and hypertensives in Japanese urban population.

To assess home blood pressure status in a Japanese urban population, we analyzed home blood pressure values in normotensive subjects determined by casual blood pressure (< 140/90 mmHg), hypertensive subjects without medication (> or = 140/90 mmHg) and treated hypertensive patients. The subjects (468 male, 232 female; mean age 41 years old) were recruited from a company located in Tokyo. Home blood pressure was measured with a semi-automatic device (Omron HEM-759P). Subjects were instructed to perform triplicate morning and evening measurements on 7 consecutive days. In the treated hypertensive group (n = 70), there was a significant difference between morning (139 +/- 12/88 +/- 9 mmHg) and evening (130 +/- 12/79 +/- 8 mmHg) home blood pressure. In the normotensive group (n = 558), however, only the diastolic blood pressure (DBP) component of the home blood pressure was significantly different between morning (115 +/- 13/72 +/- 9 mmHg) and evening (114 +/- 12/68 +/- 8 mmHg). In the nontreated hypertensive group (n = 72), casual blood pressure (145 +/- 14/92 +/- 9 mmHg) was higher than morning (138 +/- 16/89 +/- 11 mmHg) and evening (134 +/- 16/83 +/- 11 mmHg) home blood pressure, but no difference was seen between morning and evening systolic blood pressure (SBP). According to the reference value of the Japanese Society of Hypertension 2004 (SBP > or = 135 mmHg and/or DBP > or = 85 mmHg), 7.2% (systolic) and 8.7% (diastolic) of subjects in the normotensive group were classified as hypertensive by home blood pressure. Casual blood pressure in the treated hypertensive group was normal in 64.3% for SBP and 70.0% for DBP. However, their morning SBP (32.9%), morning DBP (40.0%), evening SBP (10.0%), and evening DBP (17.1%) were classified as hypertensive by home blood pressure. Furthermore, patients who were taking antihypertensive drug(s) only in the morning (n = 52) showed higher morning SBP (6 mmHg, p = 0.086) and morning DBP (6 mmHg, p = 0.005) than patients taking drug(s) by other administration schedules (n = 18), but no difference in evening home blood pressure was observed. In conclusion, a proportion of the subjects defined as normotensive by casual blood pressure were classified as hypertensive by home blood pressure in the present urban population. Furthermore, morning home blood pressure control in the treated hypertensive group classified as under control by casual blood pressure was insufficient, especially in patients who were taking medication only in the morning.     

Comparison between casual blood pressure and ambulatory blood pressure monitoring parameters in healthy and hypertensive adolescents

Casual blood pressure measurements were compared with mean ambulatory blood pressure values during wakefulness and sleep in 45 normotensive and 30 hypertensive adolescents of both sexes aged 10-18 years. Two sets of auscultatory casual blood pressure were obtained, one in a pediatric office setting (office blood pressure), performed by the physician, and one in the ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) unit, performed by a trained nurse, prior to the initiation of ABPM (pre-ABPM blood pressure). In normotensive and hypertensive subjects of both sexes, the mean office systolic blood pressure (SBP) was lower than the mean pre-ABPM SBP, and the mean office diastolic blood pressure (DBP) was lower than the mean pre-ABPM DBP. In normotensive participants, the mean pre-ABPM SBP/DBP was lower than the mean ABPM SBP/DBP while awake, the mean ABPM SBP/DBP during sleep being lower than the mean ABPM SBP/DBP values while awake and the mean pre-ABPM SBP/DBP. No statistical difference was demonstrated between the mean office SBP and the mean ABPM SBP during sleep, the mean ABPM DBP during sleep being lower than the mean office DBP. The hypertensive adolescents presented a blood pressure profile similar to that of the normotensive group, albeit shifted upwards, with no significant difference between the mean pre-ABPM SBP and the mean ABPM SBP while awake but a higher mean pre-ABPM DBP than mean ABPM DBP while awake. This study suggests that, by evaluating the casual blood pressure in different environment/observer situations, the power of casual blood pressure to predict inadequate blood pressure control, manifested as abnormal ABPM parameters, can be enhanced. Our data indicate ABPM to be the method of choice for the early diagnosis and adequate follow-up of adolescent hypertension.     

From 'optimal' to 'borderline' blood pressure in subjects under chronic antihypertensive therapy

OBJECTIVES: The ESH2003 report (J Hypertens 2003, 21:1011-1053) has classified brachial blood pressure into six groups reflecting the consistently increasing cardiovascular risk caused by high blood pressure. Chronically treated hypertensive individuals with well-controlled blood pressure retain higher cardiovascular risk than normotensive untreated individuals. Differences between these groups in arterial stiffness, pressure wave reflections and central blood pressure, which are all predictors of cardiovascular risk independently of peripheral blood pressure, have never been studied. METHODS: A cohort of 216 treated subjects with controlled hypertension was compared with 105 never-treated normotensive controls, according to the ESH2003 blood pressure groups. Aortic stiffness (pulse wave velocity; PWV), carotid wave reflections (augmentation index; AI) and carotid pressures were measured non-invasively, by pulse wave analysis. Systolic blood pressure (SBP) and pulse pressure (PP) amplification between brachial and carotid arteries were estimated. RESULTS: The distribution of subjects in each subgroup of the untreated and treated populations was: 'optimal', 21 versus 43; 'normal', 44 versus 77; 'borderline', 40 versus 96. Brachial blood pressure, carotid SBP and PP did not differ between the two populations, but a constant interaction between blood pressure classification and treatment effect on PWV, AI and blood pressure amplification was found. Compared with untreated subjects, treated subjects had higher AI and lower blood pressure amplification (in the optimal group) and higher PWV (in the borderline group). CONCLUSION: 'Optimal' to 'borderline' blood pressure control in chronically treated hypertensive individuals is associated with impaired properties of the large and small arteries. These results suggest that antihypertensive treatment strategies with more beneficial effects on arterial properties are needed.     

血压、动脉顺应性与颈动脉、桡动脉内膜-中层厚度关系

目的 分析血压、动脉顺应性及颈动脉、桡动脉内膜-中层厚度(intima-media thickness;IMT)之间关系。方法 采用血管外超声及动脉脉搏分析仪分别测量81例血压正常者及33例高血压患者的颈动脉、桡动脉IMT及动脉弹性指数C1、C2。结果 高血压组较血压正常组C1、C2降低，颈动脉内膜-中层厚度(CIMT；carotid IMT)、颈动脉内径(carotid diameter；CD)增加，两组桡动脉内膜-中层厚度(RIMT)及桡动脉内径(radial diameter；RD)相比无显著差异。血压正常组中无高血压家族史者较有高血压家族史者C1较高而收缩压(SBP)、脉压(PP)、CIMT较低。相关分析：C1、C2与年龄、SBP、PP呈负相关；CIMT与年龄、SBP、舒张压(DBP)、PP呈正相关；RIMT与SBP、DBP呈正相关。调整年龄、性别、BMI、CD、RD、及血生化指标后，C1、C2与SBP、DBP、PP呈负相关；CIMT与SBP、PP呈正相关，与DBP无显著相关性。而RIMT与血压相关无显著性。结论 CIMT及C1、C2可作为评价高血压和动脉粥样硬化血管结构与功能异常的无创性敏感性指标。     

Abnormal Pulsatile Hemodynamics in Hypertensive Patients With Normalized 24‐Hour Ambulatory Blood Pressure by Combination Therapy of Three or More Antihypertensive Agents

It remains uncertain whether intensive antihypertensive therapy can normalize pulsatile hemodynamics resulting in minimized residual cardiovascular risks. In this study, office and 24‐hour ambulatory systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), pulse pressure, carotid‐femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV), and forward (Pf) and reflected (Pb) pressure wave from a decomposed carotid pressure wave were measured in hypertensive participants. Among them, 57 patients whose 24‐hour SBP and DBP were normalized by three or more classes of antihypertensive medications were included. Another 57 age‐ and sex‐matched normotensive participants were randomly selected from a community survey. The well‐treated hypertensive patients had similar 24‐hour SBP, lower DBP, and higher PP values. The treated patients had higher PWV (11.7±0.3 vs 8.3±0.2 m/s, P<.001), Pf, Pb, Pb/Pf, and left ventricular mass index values. After adjustment for age, sex, body mass index, and office SBP, the differences for PWV, Pb, and Pb/Pf remained significant. Hypertensive patients whose 24‐hour SBP and DBP are normalized may still have markedly increased arterial stiffness and wave reflection.     

Changes in self-monitored pulse pressure correlate with improvements in B-type natriuretic Peptide and urinary albumin in treated hypertensive patients

BACKGROUND: Pulse pressure (PP) is an independent marker of cardiovascular risk, even in treated hypertensive subjects, but is often little changed by antihypertensive treatment. We assessed the hypothesis that changes in PP during antihypertensive therapy correlate with changes in surrogate markers of target-organ damage. METHODS: We studied 540 treated hypertensive subjects whose home systolic blood pressure (SBP) was >/=135 mm Hg. They were followed for 6 months after allocation to either a control group or an added treatment group (doxazosin, 1 to 4 mg plus beta-blocker when needed). The changes in PP and various blood pressure (BP) measures, including mean BP (MP), SBP, and diastolic BP (DBP) during follow-up, were related to changes in plasma B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) and the urine albumin-creatinine ratio (UAR). RESULTS: Although self-measured MP was significantly lowered in the added treatment group, PP was not changed overall, although some patients showed a decrease, and others showed an increase. In multivariable analyses, changes in both clinic and home PP were positively associated with changes in log BNP, such that increases in clinic and home PP were paralleled by corresponding increases in BNP. However, no such corresponding relationships were observed when home PP decreased. The change in home PP, but not clinic PP, was positively and linearly associated with the change in UAR. CONCLUSIONS: Changes in PP during antihypertensive treatment are important because PP may increase in some patients, in whom there are adverse changes in surrogate markers of target-organ damage. These changes of PP are best evaluated by home monitoring.     

Systolic and diastolic blood pressure, mean arterial pressure and pulse pressure for prediction of cardiovascular events and mortality in a Middle Eastern population

We compared systolic (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP), mean arterial pressure (MAP) and pulse pressure (PP) as independent predictors of cardiovascular disease (CVD), total and CVD mortality among an Iranian population. The study conducted among 5991 subjects aged ≥ 30 years without baseline CVD and antihypertensive medication. The mean of two measurements of SBP and DBP, in sitting position, was considered the subject's blood pressure. During a median follow-up of 8.7 years, 346 CVD and 157 deaths, 63 attributed to CVD, occurred. Hazard ratios (HRs) of each outcome were calculated for a one standard deviation (SD) increase in each blood pressure (BP) measures. In multivariate models, all BP measures were associated with increased risk of CVD regardless of age. In those aged < 60 years, SBP, DBP, PP and MAP were associated with total mortality (p < 0.05), but in subjects aged ≥ 60 years, only SBP and PP increased risk of total mortality significantly. In multivariate analyses, a 1SD increase in SBP, PP and MAP were associated with 35%, 31% and 28% increased risk of CVD mortality (p < 0.05). In terms of fitness and discrimination of models, DBP, PP and MAP were not superior to SBP. In conclusion, our findings provided further evidence from a Middle Eastern population, in support of SBP predictability for CVD events and CVD and all-cause mortality compared with other BP measures.     

Efficacy of various antihypertensive agents as evaluated by indices of vascular stiffness in elderly hypertensive patients.

When observed in elderly hypertensive patients, increased pulse pressure (PP) and arterial stiffness are known to be independent risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. Increased systolic blood pressure (SBP) leads to left ventricular hypertrophy, while decreased diastolic blood pressure (DBP) results in decreased coronary circulation. It is known that increased arterial stiffness is the major cause of increased PP. Thus basic morbid states of cardiac failure or ischemic heart diseases are more likely to develop in elderly hypertensive patients with increased PP and arterial stiffness, and there is need of antihypertensive drugs that decrease these effects in elderly hypertensives. In this study, we compared the effects of an angiotensin-receptor blocker (ARB: valsartan), an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACE-I: temocapril), and long-acting Ca antagonists (L- and N-type Ca channel blocker: cilnidipine; and L-type Ca channel blocker: nifedipine CR) on PP and arterial stiffness measured by pulse wave velocity in elderly hypertensive patients for 3 months. The ARB yielded the largest reductions in PP and brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV), followed by the ACE-I and L- and N-type Ca channel blocker, while the L-type Ca channel blocker yielded no improvement. The effects on arterial stiffness and PP thus varied among the drug characteristics. Although ARB achieved the largest reduction in baPWV, this decrease was not associated with any reductions in PP, SBP, DBP, or mean blood pressure, as were the baPWV-decreases achieved by the other drugs, suggesting that ARB may further reduce the risk of arteriosclerosis in elderly hypertensive patients by decreasing arterial stiffness in addition to its antihypertensive effect.     

Exercise stress test in young hypertensive patients. Response to vasodilators (prazosin) vs. beta-blocker (atenolol) agents

Dynamic response of arterial blood pressure during exercise has been studied in 40 normotensive young subjects and 20 mild hypertensive young patients (20-40 years of age). Hypertensive patients were treated with atenolol (beta blocker) and prazosin (vasodilator). Both groups underwent maximal exercise stress test. A double-blind nonrandomized study was practiced in hypertensive patients with placebo, prazosin (3 mg/12 h), and atenolol (100 mg/24 h). Heart rate (HR), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and exercise duration (ED) were analyzed. All parameters remained stable in both groups. The hypertensive patients showed an increase in maximum SBP more than 230 mmHg during the placebo phase. This same group showed a significant increase in HR at rest two hours after administration of prazosin. Atenolol produced a significant reduction in HR both during rest and exercise. Both drugs produced a significant decrease in SBP and DBP (at rest and exercise). We conclude that exercise test is a noninvasive procedure that could distinguish mild arterial hypertension. The dynamic changes of arterial blood pressure can be controlled with prazosin (3 mg/12 h) or 1 daily intake of 100 mg atenolol.     

What Is the Blood Pressure Goal for the Elder Patient 75 Years of Age or Older?

High blood pressure (BP), once believed to represent a normal and progressive component of the aging process, is now recognized as a manifestation of structural and physiologic abnormalities of arterial function. Two phenotypes exist in the older patient: elevated systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) with a normal pulse pressure (PP), and elevated SBP with an increased PP. Elevated SBP and increased PP unquestionably increase the risk of both fatal and nonfatal cardiovascular events, including stroke, myocardial infarction, and heart failure. Isolated systolic hypertension, defined as an SBP ≥140 mm Hg with a DBP less than 90 mm Hg, affects the majority of individuals ages 60 years and older. A number of clinical trials have clearly demonstrated that treatment of hypertension significantly reduces the cardiovascular event rate in older patients. However, controversy continues as to the choice of antihypertensive agents and combinations of agents. It is both appropriate and necessary to treat elderly hypertensive patients aggressively to the same target BPs identified for younger patients. It is also appropriate to initiate treatment with lower doses of antihypertensive agents and to bring the pressure down more slowly, monitoring for orthostatic hypotension, impaired cognition, and electrolyte abnormalities.     

Rapid left ventricular filling in untreated hypertensive subjects with or without left ventricular hypertrophy.

In this study, independent contribution of age, HR, BMI, casual and ambulatory blood pressure, LVM and LVEF in evaluating diastolic filling have been investigated in 34 never-treated hypertensive patients and in 15 healthy normotensive subjects. All the subjects were free from coronary artery disease, valvular disease, heart failure, renal disease and psychiatric problems. All the hypertensive subjects (never treated) were subgrouped according to presence or absence of LVH. The PFR decreased significantly and tPFR increased significantly in hypertensive patients in comparison with normotensive subjects and they did not change in the presence vs absence of LVH. The PFR was inversely correlated with BMI, age, 24-h mean SBP and with 24-h DBP. In multiple regression analysis, PFR decreased with BMI, age, 24-h mean SBP and DBP but not with LVMI. These results suggest that BMI, age and 24-h mean blood pressure were the major determinants of PFR abnormalities in hypertensive patients.     

Therapeutic studies and arterial stiffness in hypertension: recommendations of the European Society of Hypertension. The Clinical Committee of Arterial Structure and Function. Working Group on Vascular Structure and Function of the European Society of Hypertension

BACKGROUND: Increased pulse pressure and arterial stiffness are identified as predictors of cardiovascular risk in older hypertensive populations, particularly that of myocardial infarction. Because increased pulse pressure involves an increase in systolic (SBP) and a decrease in diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and because the former promotes cardiac hypertrophy and the latter alters coronary perfusion, a drug regimen reducing pulse pressure and decreasing arterial stiffness might further reduce cardiovascular risk. Under conventional treatment, normalization of DBP (< or = 90 mmHg) is not consistently associated with normalization of SBP (< or = 140 mmHg). THERAPEUTIC DESIGNS: In individuals older than 50 years, the goal of antihypertensive treatment should be, not only to decrease mean blood pressure (to less than 100 mmHg), but also to decrease pulse pressure (to less than 50 mmHg). Using appropriate pharmacological tools, trials should test whether an active decrease in arterial stiffness might produce an attenuation of the age-related increase in SBP and decrease in DBP, thus delaying the age-related increase in pulse pressure and decreasing further cardiovascular risk. This procedure requires concomitant non-invasive evaluations of aortic stiffness. CONCLUSION: The studies that are required in hypertension should use two different approaches: novel titrations of conventional drugs to achieve a decrease in either SBP or pulse pressure, and development of new drugs acting selectively on the large artery wall, to facilitate the conduct of subsequent controlled trials.