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Lookup NU author(s): Dr Claire McDonald, Professor Mark PearceORCiD, Dr Joanna Wincenciak, Dr Simon Kerr, Emerita Professor Julia Newton
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC 4.0).
BACKGROUND Greater ambulatory blood pressure variability (ABPV) is associated with end-organ damage and increased mortality. Age-related changes in the cardiovascular and autonomic nervous systems make age-associated increases in ABPV likely. Cross-sectional studies support this hypothesis, showing greater ABPV among older compared to younger adults. The only longitudinal study to examine changes in ABPV, however, found ABPV decreased over 5 years follow-up. This unexpected observation probably reflected the highly selected nature of the study participants. METHODS In this longitudinal study, we assessed changes in ABPV over 10 years in a community-cohort of older people. In addition, we examined the extent to which ABPV was predicted by demographics, cardiovascular risk factors, and medication. Clinical examination and 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring were carried out at baseline and at 10 years follow-up in 83 people, median age 70 years. ABPV was calculated using SD and coefficient of variation (Cv). Three time periods were examined: daytime, nighttime, and 24 hours. RESULTS Daytime and 24-hour, systolic and diastolic, SD, and Cv were significantly greater at follow-up than at baseline (P < 0.001 in all cases). Mean BP did not change. CONCLUSIONS Multilevel modeling showed follow-up interval had a significant, positive effect on SD and Cv (P < 0.004), independent of age, sex, and medication. ABPV increased over a 10-year follow-up despite stable mean BP. ABPV may therefore be an additional target for treatment in older people. Future studies should examine what degree of ABPV is harmful and if control of ABPV reduces adverse outcome.
Author(s): McDonald C, Pearce MS, Wincenciak J, Kerr SRJ, Newton JL
Publication type: Article
Publication status: Published
Journal: American Journal of Hypertension
Year: 2016
Volume: 29
Issue: 5
Print publication date: 05/05/2016
Online publication date: 26/08/2015
Acceptance date: 06/08/2015
Date deposited: 07/09/2015
ISSN (print): 0895-7061
ISSN (electronic): 1941-7225
Publisher: Oxford University Press
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/ajh/hpv150
DOI: 10.1093/ajh/hpv150
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