Prevalence of arterial hypertension in branch retinal vein occlusion patients

OBJETIVOS: Identificar em pacientes com oclusão do ramo da veia central da retina utilizando a monitorização ambulatorial da pressão arterial e medidas clínicas da pressão arterial: prevalência de hipertensão e o perfil noturno da pressão arterial. MÉTODOS: Prospectivamente, 93 olhos de 83 pacientes com oclusão do ramo da veia central da retina foram submetidos à avaliação oftalmológica. Após, os pacientes foram encaminhados para avaliação clínica e monitorização da pressão arterial. Pacientes sem descenso da pressão durante o sono ("non-dipper") foram definidos como um declínio na pressão arterial sistólica < 10%, e pacientes com descenso presente ("dipper") quando este valor fosse superior. RESULTADOS: A doença acometeu um olho em 73 (88%) pacientes. O ramo temporal superior foi o local da oclusão em 61 (65,6%) olhos, no restante o ramo temporal inferior foi afetado. Setenta e seis (92%) pacientes formam diagnosticados como hipertensos após a avaliação clínica. A monitorização ambulatorial da pressão arterial identificou 76 hipertensos, 5 normotensos, 1 hipertenso do avental branco e 1 hipertenso mascarado. Estes 2 últimos foram excluídos da análise. Dos 81 pacientes, analisados. Quarenta (49%) eram "dippers" e 41 (51%) "non-dippers". Entre os hipertensos (n=76), 36 (47,4%) eram "dippers" e 40 (52,6%) "non-dippers". CONCLUSÃO: Prevalência de hipertensão arterial em nosso estudo foi extremamente elevada (92,8%), que sugere que a fisiopatologia da doença tem íntima relação com as alterações promovidas pela hipertensão. Pouco mais da metade dos hipertensos eram "non-dipper" (n=40; 52,6%). Estas evidências sugerem que um nível sustentado de pressão arterial possa ser um fator de risco adicional para a oclusão do ramo da veia central da retina.PURPOSE: To identify in patients with branch retinal vein occlusion using ambulatory blood pressure monitoring and clinical blood pressure measures: hypertension prevalence, and nocturnal profile of blood pressure. METHODS: Prospectively, 93 eyes of 83 patients with branch retinal vein occlusion were submitted to ophthalmological examination. Afterwards the patients were submitted to clinical evaluation and blood pressure monitoring. Non-dipper was defined as a fall in systolic blood pressure < 10%, and dipper when this value was higher. RESULTS: Disease affected one eye in 73 (88%) patients. The temporal superior branch was the site of occlusion in 61 (65.6%) eyes, while in the others the infero-temporal branch was affected. Seventy six (92%) patients were diagnosed as hypertensive after clinical evaluation. Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring identified 76 hipertensives, 5 normotensives, 1 white-coat hypertensive and one masked hypertensive subjects. The two latter were excluded from the analysis. Of the 81 analyzed patients, forty (49%) were dippers and 41 (51%) were non-dippers. Among the HT (n=76), 36 (47%) were dippers and 40 (53%) were non-dippers. CONCLUSION: Prevalence of hypertension in our series was extremely high (92%) which suggests that physiopathology of the disease has a close relationship with changes promoted by hypertension. A little more than half of the hypertensives were non-dippers (n=40; 52,6%). These evidences suggest that a 24-hour sustained level of blood pressure may be an additional risk factor for branch retinal vein occlusion

Endothelial Function and Dipper Status

SUMMARY Aims: Essential hypertension, as well as other established cardiovascular risk factors, is associated with endothelial dysfunction. Hypertensive patients with a nondipper circadian pattern have a greater risk of cerebrovascular and cardiovascular complications in comparison with those with a dipper circadian pattern. In this study, we evaluated the association between nondipper pattern and endothelial function in patients with essential hypertension. Methods: We evaluated the forearm blood flow (FBF) response to intraarterial acetylcholine (ACh), an endothelium-dependent vasodilator, and sodium nitroprusside (SNP), an endothelium-independent vasodilator, infusions in 190 hypertensive patients stratified according to dipper and nondipper status. The FBF was measured by strain-gauge plethysmography. Effects of oxidative stress on FBF were evaluated by intraarterial infusion of vitamin C. Ambulatory BP monitorings were obtained by a validated oscillometric device (SpaceLabs 90207 Monitor Inc., Issaquah, WA, USA). Results: Systolic and diastolic blood pressures were higher during daytime and lower during night-time in dipper subjects than in nondippers. The peak percent increase in ACh-stimulated FBF was higher in dippers than in nondippers (473% vs. 228%, P < 0.001). The FBF responses to SNP were similar in dipper and nondipper patients. The FBF response to ACh during coinfusion of vitamin C was higher in nondippers rather than in dipper hypertensives. Conclusions: Present data demonstrate that endothelium-dependent vasodilation is impaired in patients who have nondipper hypertension. The effects of vitamin C on impaired ACh-stimulated vasodilation support the hypothesis that oxidative stress contributes to endothelial dysfunction of nondipper hypertensive patients

Usefulness of ambulatory blood pressure monitoring in predicting the presence of autonomic neuropathy in type I diabetic patients.

This study investigated whether nondipping (defined as a day–night change in blood pressure (BP) <=0%) could be assumed as a diagnostic index for autonomic neuropathy, and assessed its accuracy in discriminating between type I diabetic patients with and without autonomic neuropathy. In 87 type I diabetic patients with normal renal function (age 36+-11, duration 17+-9 years, serum creatinine 67.2+-15.9 mcmol/l), four cardiovascular tests and 24-h BP monitoring were performed, and the percentage day–night change (Delta) in systolic (SBP) and diastolic BP (DBP) was calculated. Sixteen patients had Delta SBP and/or Delta DBP <=0%. In a multiple logistic regression with adjustment for sex, age, and body mass index, the odds ratio for having autonomic neuropathy was seven times higher in patients with DSBP <=0% as opposed to those without (odds ratio 6.97, CI 1.4–34.9, P=0.018). Using Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis, DBP showed an acceptable accuracy in discriminating between patients with and without autonomic neuropathy (area under the ROC curve 0.69+-0.06 and 0.72+-0.05 for Delta SBP and Delta DBP, respectively). Adequate cutoff values were 0% for Delta SBP (sensitivity, 26%; specificity, 95%; positive predictive value, 87%) and 5% for Delta DBP (sensitivity, 26%; specificity, 92%; positive predictive value, 81%). In type I diabetic patients with normal renal function, a value of Delta SBP p0% identifies the presence of autonomic neuropathy with a very high chance. Nondipping at the cutoff proposed could be considered an adjunctive marker of autonomic neuropathy provided with a high specificity and low sensitivity

Nocturnal non-dipping pattern in untreated hypertensives at different cardiovascular risk according to the 2003 ESH/ESC guidelines.

To evaluate in a large population of untreated, uncomplicated essential hypertensives the relationship between alterations in nocturnal blood pressure (BP) profile, i.e. non-dipping pattern, and total cardiovascular risk.A total of 580 consecutive patients with grade 1 or 2 hypertension, referred to our outpatient clinic, underwent the following procedures: (i) clinical and routine laboratory examinations; (ii) 24-h ambulatory BP monitoring; (iii) 24-h collection for microalbuminuria; (iv) echocardiography; and (v) carotid ultrasonography. Cardiovascular risk was assessed according to the stratification scheme suggested by the 2003 ESH/ESC guidelines.According to this classification, 16.2% of the 580 patients were considered at low added risk, 42.4% at medium added risk and 41.4% at high added risk; 38.5% of the overall population was classified in the high-risk stratum because of at least one manifestation of target organ damage (TOD) and 6.3% for the presence of three or more risk factors. The prevalence rates of a non-dipping pattern (decrease in BP at nightor = 10% compared with the average daytime values) were 28.5% in low-risk, 32.6% in medium-risk and 42.2% in high-risk patients, respectively. CONCLUSIONS. Our findings show that the prevalence of a non-dipping profile is significantly greater in patients stratified at high compared with those at low and medium added risk

Diurnal blood pressure pattern and development of prehypertension or hypertension in young adults: the CARDIA study

Nondippers (people whose sleep systolic blood pressure [SBP] fails to decrease >10% from daytime SBP) have increased risk of cardiovascular disease. The prevalence of nondipping in younger adults has not been well studied, nor has its value for predicting hypertension. We examined the prevalence of nondipping in a substudy of the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) Study. We used Cox regression to estimate the hazard ratio (HR) conferred by nondipping for incident prehypertension or hypertension (preHTN/HTN) over 15 years. Of the 264 nonhypertensive participants at baseline, 118 (45%) were nondippers. Blacks were more likely than whites to be nondippers (52% versus 33%, P = .004). The incidence rate of preHTN/HTN was 29.2/1000 person-years among dippers and 36.2/1000 person-years among nondippers. Compared with those in the lowest quartile of nighttime to daytime SBP, those in the highest quartile were more likely to develop preHTN/HTN (HR 1.61; P = .06), but this relationship was attenuated after adjustment (HR 1.34; P = .27). Our results demonstrate that nondipping is common in young, nonhypertensive adults, and is more common in blacks than whites. Nondipping might predate a meaningful clinically detected increase in BP in some people, but more research in larger study samples is needed

Dobowy rytm ciśnienia a niedokrwienie mięśnia sercowego w chorobie wieńcowej z prawidłowym i podwyższonym ciśnieniem tętniczym

Wstęp: Brak nocnego spadku ciśnienia jest czynnikiem ryzyka powikłań narządowych nadciśnienia tętniczego. Znaczenie tego zjawiska u osób normotensyjnych jest nieznane. Celem pracy była ocena wpływu braku nocnego spadku ciśnienia na niedokrwienie mięśnia sercowego w chorobie wieńcowej z prawidłowym i podwyższonym ciśnieniem tętniczym. Materiał i metody: Do badania włączono 98 pacjentów z potwierdzoną koronarograficznie chorobą wieńcową. Na podstawie 24-godzinnego automatycznego monitorowania ciśnienia tętniczego wyodrębniono 55 chorych z nadciśnieniem tętniczym (grupa I) i 43 normotensyjnych (grupa II). W każdej z grup znajdowali się chorzy, u których ciśnienie tętnicze w nocy było niższe o co najmniej 10% w stosunku do wartości rejestrowanych w ciągu dnia. Nazwano ich dippers w odróżnieniu od non-dippers &#8212; pacjentów bez nocnego spadku ciśnienia. Wszystkim chorym wykonano 24-godzinne monitorowanie EKG metodą Holtera oceniając liczbę epizodów obniżenia odcinka ST, ich charakter oraz rytm dobowy. Wyniki: W grupie I zarejestrowano 172, a w grupie II &#8212; 118 przemijających epizodów obniżenia odcinka ST (PEN). W obu grupach około 60% stanowiły epizody nieme. Całkowita liczba PEN w grupach dippers i non-dippers były podobna. Jednak chorzy bez nocnego spadku ciśnienia większość epizodów mieli w nocy, zaś chorzy z zachowanym rytmem dobowym ciśnienia &#8212; w ciągu dnia. U non-dippers istotnie częściej rejestrowano nieme PEN. Zależność ta dotyczyła non-dippers z nadciśnieniem oraz normotensyjnych. Wniosek: W chorobie wieńcowej niezależnie od obecności nadciśnienia tętniczego brak nocnego spadku ciśnienia wiąże się z częstszym występowaniem niemego niedokrwienia i modyfikacją dobowej zmienności niedokrwienia

Dobowy rytm ciśnienia a niedokrwienie mięśnia sercowego w chorobie wieńcowej z prawidłowym i podwyższonym ciśnieniem tętniczym

Wstęp: Brak nocnego spadku ciśnienia jest czynnikiem ryzyka powikłań narządowych nadciśnienia tętniczego. Znaczenie tego zjawiska u osób normotensyjnych jest nieznane. Celem pracy była ocena wpływu braku nocnego spadku ciśnienia na niedokrwienie mięśnia sercowego w chorobie wieńcowej z prawidłowym i podwyższonym ciśnieniem tętniczym. Materiał i metody: Do badania włączono 98 pacjentów z potwierdzoną koronarograficznie chorobą wieńcową. Na podstawie 24-godzinnego automatycznego monitorowania ciśnienia tętniczego wyodrębniono 55 chorych z nadciśnieniem tętniczym (grupa I) i 43 normotensyjnych (grupa II). W każdej z grup znajdowali się chorzy, u których ciśnienie tętnicze w nocy było niższe o co najmniej 10% w stosunku do wartości rejestrowanych w ciągu dnia. Nazwano ich dippers w odróżnieniu od non-dippers &#8212; pacjentów bez nocnego spadku ciśnienia. Wszystkim chorym wykonano 24-godzinne monitorowanie EKG metodą Holtera oceniając liczbę epizodów obniżenia odcinka ST, ich charakter oraz rytm dobowy. Wyniki: W grupie I zarejestrowano 172, a w grupie II &#8212; 118 przemijających epizodów obniżenia odcinka ST (PEN). W obu grupach około 60% stanowiły epizody nieme. Całkowita liczba PEN w grupach dippers i non-dippers były podobna. Jednak chorzy bez nocnego spadku ciśnienia większość epizodów mieli w nocy, zaś chorzy z zachowanym rytmem dobowym ciśnienia &#8212; w ciągu dnia. U non-dippers istotnie częściej rejestrowano nieme PEN. Zależność ta dotyczyła non-dippers z nadciśnieniem oraz normotensyjnych. Wniosek: W chorobie wieńcowej niezależnie od obecności nadciśnienia tętniczego brak nocnego spadku ciśnienia wiąże się z częstszym występowaniem niemego niedokrwienia i modyfikacją dobowej zmienności niedokrwienia

Short-term variability and nocturnal decline in ambulatory blood pressure in normotension, white-coat hypertension, masked hypertension and sustained hypertension: A population-based study of older individuals in Spain

Blood pressure (BP) variability and nocturnal decline in blood pressure are associated with cardiovascular outcomes. However, little is known about whether these indexes are associated with white-coat and masked hypertension. We performed a cross-sectional analysis of 1047 community-dwelling individuals aged ≥60 years in Spain in 2012. Three observer-measured home BPs and 24-h ambulatory blood pr essure monitoring (ABPM) were performed under standardized conditions. BP variability was defined as BP s.d. and coefficient of variation. Differences in BP variability and nocturnal BP decrease between groups were adjusted for sociodemographic and clinical covariates using generalized linear models. Of the cohort, 21.7% had white-coat hypertension, 7.0% had masked hypertension, 21.4% had sustained hypertension, and 49.9% were normotensive. Twenty-four hour, daytime and night-time systolic BP s.d. and coefficients of variation were significantly higher in subjects with white-coat hypertension than those with normotension (P &lt; 0.05) and were similar to subjects with sustained hypertension. In untreated subjects, 24-h but not daytime or night-time BP variability indexes were significantly higher in subjects with white-coat hypertension than in those with normotension (P &lt; 0.05). Percentage decrease in nocturnal systolic and diastolic BP was greatest in the white-coat hypertension group and lowest in the masked hypertension group in all patients and untreated patients (P &lt; 0.05). Lack of nocturnal decline in systolic blood pressure was observed in 70.2% of subjects with normotension, 57.8% of subjects with white-coat hypertension, 78.1% of subjects with masked hypertension, and 72.2% of subjects with sustained hypertension (P &lt; 0.001). In conclusion, 24-h BP variability was higher in subjects with white-coat hypertension and blunted nocturnal BP decrease was observed more frequently in subjects with masked hypertension. These findings may help to explain the reports of increased cardiovascular risk in patients with white-coat hypertension and poor prognosis in those with masked hypertension, highlighting the importance of ABPMStudy partially funded by FIS grant PI13/02321 and PI16/01460 (Instituto de Salud Carlos III and FEDER/FSE) and CIBERES