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Objective: The COVID-19 pandemic had a major impact on medical care. This study evaluated the influence of the pandemic on blood pressure (BP) control and hypertension phenotypes as assessed by office and 24-hour ambulatory BP monitoring (ABPM)., Design and Methods: Data were collected from 33 centers including Excellence Centers of the European Society of Hypertension. Two groups of patients with treated hypertension were compared. Pandemic group: including participants who had ABPM twice - at visit 2 during the COVID-19 pandemic and visit 1 performed 9-15 months prior to visit 2. Pre-pandemic group: had ABPM at two visits, performed before the pandemic within 9-15 months interval. We determined the following hypertension phenotypes: masked hypertension, white coat hypertension, sustained controlled hypertension (SCH) and sustained uncontrolled hypertension (SUCH). We analyzed the prevalence of phenotypes and their changes between visits., Results: Data of 1419 patients, 616 (43 %) in the pandemic group and 803 (57 %) in the pre-pandemic group, were analyzed. At baseline (visit 1), the prevalence of hypertension phenotypes did not differ between groups. In the pandemic group, the change in hypertension phenotypes between two visits was not significant (p = 0.08). In contrast, in the pre-pandemic group, the prevalence of SCH increased during follow-up (28.8 % vs 38.4 %, p < 0.01) while the prevalence of SUCH decreased (34.2 % vs 27.8 %, p < 0.01). In multivariable adjusted analysis, the only factor influencing negative changes of hypertension phenotypes was the COVID-19 pandemic period., Conclusion: These results indicate a negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on BP control assessed by hypertension phenotypes., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest None., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: We aimed to determine the influence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on blood pressure (BP) control assessed by ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM)., Methods: Office BP and ABPM data from two visits conducted within a 9-15 months interval were collected from patients treated for hypertension. In the prepandemic group, both visits took place before, while in the pandemic group, Visit-1 was done before and Visit-2 during the pandemic period., Results: Of 1811 collected patients 191 were excluded because they did not meet the required ABPM time frames. Thus, the study comprised 704 patients from the pandemic and 916 from the prepandemic group. Groups did not differ in sex, age, duration of hypertension, frequency of first line antihypertensive drug use and mean 24 h BP on Visit-1. The prevalence of sustained uncontrolled hypertension was similar in both groups. On Visit-2 mean 24 h BP, daytime and nighttime systolic BP and diastolic BP were higher in the pandemic compared to the prepandemic group ( P  < 0.034). The prevalence of sustained uncontrolled hypertension on Visit-2 was higher in the pandemic than in the prepandemic group [0.29 (95% confidence interval (95% CI): 0.26-0.33) vs. 0.25 (95% CI: 0.22-0.28), P  < 0.037]. In multivariable adjusted analyses a significant difference in BP visit-to-visit change was observed, with a more profound decline in BP between visits in the prepandemic group., Conclusions: This study using ABPM indicates a negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on BP control. It emphasizes the need of developing strategies to maintain BP control during a pandemic such as the one induced by COVID-19., (Copyright © 2024 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective Real-life management of patients with hypertension and chronic kidney disease (CKD) among European Society of Hypertension Excellence Centres (ESH-ECs) is unclear : we aimed to investigate it. Methods A survey was conducted in 2023. The questionnaire contained 64 questions asking ESH-ECs representatives to estimate how patients with CKD are managed. Results Overall, 88 ESH-ECS representatives from 27 countries participated. According to the responders, renin-angiotensin system (RAS) blockers, calcium-channel blockers and thiazides were often added when these medications were lacking in CKD patients, but physicians were more prone to initiate RAS blockers (90% [interquartile range: 70-95%]) than MRA (20% [10-30%]), SGLT2i (30% [20-50%]) or (GLP1-RA (10% [5-15%]). Despite treatment optimisation, 30% of responders indicated that hypertension remained uncontrolled (30% (15-40%) vs 18% [10%-25%]) in CKD and CKD patients, respectively). Hyperkalemia was the most frequent barrier to initiate RAS blockers, and dosage reduction was considered in 45% of responders when kalaemia was 5.5-5.9 mmol/L. Conclusions RAS blockers are initiated in most ESH-ECS in CKD patients, but MRA and SGLT2i initiations are less frequent. Hyperkalemia was the main barrier for initiation or adequate dosing of RAS blockade, and RAS blockers' dosage reduction was the usual management.

Objective: Real-life management of hypertensive patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) is unclear., Methods: A survey was conducted in 2023 by the European Society of Hypertension (ESH) to assess management of CKD patients referred to ESH-Hypertension Excellence Centres (ESH-ECs) at first referral visit. The questionnaire contained 64 questions with which ESH-ECs representatives were asked to estimate preexisting CKD management quality., Results: Overall, 88 ESH-ECs from 27 countries participated (fully completed surveys: 66/88 [75.0%]). ESH-ECs reported that 28% (median, interquartile range: 15-50%) had preexisting CKD, with 10% of them (5-30%) previously referred to a nephrologist, while 30% (15-40%) had resistant hypertension. The reported rate of previous recent (<6 months) estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and urine albumin-creatinine ratio (UACR) testing were 80% (50-95%) and 30% (15-50%), respectively. The reported use of renin-angiotensin system blockers was 80% (70-90%). When a nephrologist was part of the ESH-EC teams the reported rates SGLT2 inhibitors (27.5% [20-40%] vs. 15% [10-25], P  = 0.003), GLP1-RA (10% [10-20%] vs. 5% [5-10%], P  = 0.003) and mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (20% [10-30%] vs. 15% [10-20%], P  = 0.05) use were greater as compared to ESH-ECs without nephrologist participation. The rate of reported resistant hypertension, recent eGFR and UACR results and management of CKD patients prior to referral varied widely across countries., Conclusions: Our estimation indicates deficits regarding CKD screening, use of nephroprotective drugs and referral to nephrologists before referral to ESH-ECs but results varied widely across countries. This information can be used to build specific programs to improve care in hypertensives with CKD., (Copyright © 2024 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: The prognostic relevance of short-term blood pressure (BP) variability in hypertension is not clearly established. We aimed to evaluate the association of short-term BP variability, with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in a large cohort of patients with hypertension., Methods: We selected 59 124 patients from the Spanish Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring Registry from 2004 to 2014 (median follow-up: 9.7 years). Systolic and diastolic BP SD and coefficient of variation from daytime and nighttime, weighted SD, weighted coefficient of variation, average real variability (mean of differences between consecutive readings), and BP variability ratio (ratio between systolic and diastolic 24-hour SD) were calculated through baseline 24-hour ambulatory BP monitoring. Association with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality were assessed by Cox regression models adjusted for clinical confounders and BP., Results: Patients who died during follow-up had higher values of BP variability compared with those remaining alive. In adjusted models systolic and diastolic daytime and weighted SD and coefficient of variation, average real variability, as well as systolic nighttime SD and BP variability ratio were all significantly associated with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. Hazard ratios for 1-SD increase in the systolic components ranged from 1.05 to 1.12 for all-cause mortality and from 1.07 to 1.17 for cardiovascular mortality. A daytime SD≥13 mm Hg, a nighttime and a weighted SD≥12 mm Hg, and an average real variability ≥10 mm Hg, all systolic, were independently associated with mortality., Conclusions: Short-term blood pressure variability shows a relatively weak but significant association with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in patients with hypertension., Competing Interests: Disclosures None.

Background: The role of pulse pressure (PP) 'widening' at older and younger age as a cardiovascular risk factor is still controversial. Mean PP, as determined from repeated blood pressure (BP) readings, can be expressed as a sum of two components: 'elastic PP' (elPP) and 'stiffening PP' (stPP) associated, respectively, with stiffness at the diastole and its relative change during the systole. We investigated the association of 24-h ambulatory PP, elPP, and stPP ('PP variables') with mortality and composite cardiovascular events in different age classes., Method: Longitudinal population-based cohort study of adults with baseline observations that included 24-h ambulatory BP. Age classes were age 40 or less, 40-50, 50-60, 60-70, and over 70 years. Co-primary endpoints were total mortality and composite cardiovascular events. The relative risk expressed by hazard ratio per 1SD increase for each of the PP variables was calculated from multivariable-adjusted Cox regression models., Results: The 11 848 participants from 13 cohorts (age 53 ± 16 years, 50% men) were followed for up for 13.7 ± 6.7 years. A total of 2946 participants died (18.1 per 1000 person-years) and 2093 experienced a fatal or nonfatal cardiovascular event (12.9 per 1000 person-years). Mean PP, elPP, and stPP were, respectively, 49.7, 43.5, and 6.2 mmHg, and elPP and stPP were uncorrelated ( r  = -0.07). At age 50-60 years, all PP variables displayed association with risk for almost all outcomes. From age over 60 years to age over 70 years, hazard ratios of of PP and elPP were similar and decreased gradually but differently for pulse rate lower than or higher than 70 bpm, whereas stPP lacked predictive power in most cases. For age 40 years or less, elPP showed protective power for coronary events, whereas stPP and PP predicted stroke events. Adjusted and unadjusted hazard ratio variations were similar over the entire age range., Conclusion: This study provides a new basis for associating PP components with outcome and arterial properties in different age groups and at different pulse rates for both old and young age. The similarity between adjusted and unadjusted hazard ratios supports the clinical usefulness of PP components but further studies are needed to assess the prognostic significance of the PP components, especially at the young age., (Copyright © 2022 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Antihypertensive drug therapy is one of the most efficient medical interventions for preventing disability and death globally. Most of the evidence supporting its benefits has been derived from outcome trials with morning dosing of medications. Accumulating evidence suggests an adverse prognosis associated with night-time hypertension, nondipping blood pressure (BP) profile and morning BP surge, with increased incidence of cardiovascular events during the first few morning hours. These observations provide justification for complete 24-h BP control as being the primary goal of antihypertensive treatment. Bedtime administration of antihypertensive drugs has also been proposed as a potentially more effective treatment strategy than morning administration. This Position Paper by the International Society of Hypertension reviewed the published evidence on the clinical relevance of the diurnal variation in BP and the timing of antihypertensive drug treatment, aiming to provide consensus recommendations for clinical practice. Eight published outcome hypertension studies involved bedtime dosing of antihypertensive drugs, and all had major methodological and/or other flaws and a high risk of bias in testing the impact of bedtime compared to morning treatment. Three ongoing, well designed, prospective, randomized controlled outcome trials are expected to provide high-quality data on the efficacy and safety of evening or bedtime versus morning drug dosing. Until that information is available, preferred use of bedtime drug dosing of antihypertensive drugs should not be routinely recommended in clinical practice. Complete 24-h control of BP should be targeted using readily available, long-acting antihypertensive medications as monotherapy or combinations administered in a single morning dose., (Copyright © 2022 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Pulse pressure (PP) reflects the age-related stiffening of the central arteries, but no study addressed the management of the PP-related risk over the human lifespan., Methods: In 4,663 young (18-49 years) and 7,185 older adults (≥50 years), brachial PP was recorded over 24 hours. Total mortality and all major cardiovascular events (MACEs) combined were coprimary endpoints. Cardiovascular death, coronary events, and stroke were secondary endpoints., Results: In young adults (median follow-up, 14.1 years; mean PP, 45.1 mm Hg), greater PP was not associated with absolute risk; the endpoint rates were ≤2.01 per 1,000 person-years. The adjusted hazard ratios expressed per 10-mm Hg PP increments were less than unity (P ≤ 0.027) for MACE (0.67; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.47-0.96) and cardiovascular death (0.33; 95% CI, 0.11-0.75). In older adults (median follow-up, 13.1 years; mean PP, 52.7 mm Hg), the endpoint rates, expressing absolute risk, ranged from 22.5 to 45.4 per 1,000 person-years and the adjusted hazard ratios, reflecting relative risk, from 1.09 to 1.54 (P < 0.0001). The PP-related relative risks of death, MACE, and stroke decreased >3-fold from age 55 to 75 years, whereas absolute risk rose by a factor 3., Conclusions: From 50 years onwards, the PP-related relative risk decreases, whereas absolute risk increases. From a lifecourse perspective, young adulthood provides a window of opportunity to manage risk factors and prevent target organ damage as forerunner of premature death and MACE. In older adults, treatment should address absolute risk, thereby extending life in years and quality., (© The Author(s) 2021. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of American Journal of Hypertension, Ltd.)

Objective: Twenty-four-hour ambulatory pulse pressure (PP) is a powerful predictor of outcome. We attempted to apply the recently described PP components, an elastic (elPP), and systolic stiffening (stPP) components from 24-h ambulatory blood pressure (BP) monitoring (AMBP), and examine their influence on outcome in the Ohasama study population., Design and Methods: Included were participants of the Ohasama study without history of cardiovascular disease (CVD), who were followed-up for total and CVD mortality, and for stroke morbidity. The PP components were derived from 24-h SBP and DBP using a model based on the nonlinear pressure--volume relationship in arteries expressing pressure stiffness relationship. Outcome predictive power was estimated by Cox regression models; hazard ratio with 95% confidence interval (CI), applied to elPP, and stPP, adjusted for age, sex, BMI, smoking, alcohol drinking, diabetes mellitus, total cholesterol, antihypertensive treatment, and mean arterial pressure (MAP), whenever appropriate., Results: Of 1745 participants (age 61.4 ± 11.6, 65% women), 580 died, 212 of CVD, and 290 experienced a stroke during 17 follow-up years. PP was strongly correlated with elPP (r = 0.89) and less so with stPP (r = 0.58), and the correlation between the two components was weak (r = 0.15). After the adjustment, hazard ratio of PP per 1 SD increment for total mortality, CVD mortality, and stroke morbidity were 1.095 (95% CI 0.973-1.232), 1.207 (1.000-1.456), and 0.983 (0.829-1.166), respectively. Corresponding hazard ratios and 95% CIs were nonsignificant for elPP, and stPP. However, among participants with median pulse rate 68.5 bpm or less (median, n = 872), total (327 deaths) and CVD (131 deaths) mortality were predicted by elPP (per 1 SD increment), hazard ratio 1.231 (95% CI, 1.082-1.401), and 1.294 (95% CI, 1.069-1.566), respectively. In the subgroup of treated participants with hypertension and pulse rate 68.5 or less bpm (n = 309), total (177 deaths) and CVD (77 deaths) mortality were predicted by elPP, hazard ratio of 1.357 (95% CI, 1.131-1.628), and 1.417 (95% CI, 1.092-1.839), respectively. Stroke morbidity was not predicted by either PP or the PP components., Conclusion: In a rural Japanese population, elPP but not stPP was predictive of total and CVD mortality even when adjusted for MAP and conventional risk factors in the subpopulation with slower pulse rate. This was mostly among the treated hypertensive patients.

For years, physicians and scientists were enthralled by the enigmatic phenomenon of fasting-associated diuresis and natriuresis and their reversal by feeding. This abrupt response is most prominent in obese and hypertensive individuals, and if repeated once and again may lead to the attenuation of blood pressure and improve insulin sensitivity. The mechanisms involved in early natriuresis and diuresis remain speculative as the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone axis and natriuretic peptides are initially suppressed. Based on gained insight using sodium-glucose transporter 2 (SGLT-2) inhibitors, herein, we propose a role for enhanced post-prandial proximal tubular sodium uptake, mediated by increased glucose-sodium co-transport, as daily filtered glucose increases, and reduced sodium uptake when glucose reabsorption diminishes. This phenomenon might be more pronounced in diabetics due to prolonged post-prandial hyperglycemia and intense SGLT-driven transport. Our hypothesis may also provide a physiologic basis for fasting-related reduced blood pressure in hypertension. This theory deserves challenging by experimental and clinical studies., (Copyright © 2020 Heyman, Bursztyn, Szalat, Muszkat and Abassi.)

In this review I try to summarize concisely available information on common effectors on blood pressure, occupational, and environmental ones, which are sometimes overlooked, so that clinicians involved in caring for patients with hypertension may have somewhat better vision of what our patients are exposed to.

Background: Ambulatory pulse pressure (PP) a well known predictor of mortality, is widely believed to be a marker for arterial stiffness. However stiffness itself is pressure-dependent., Objectives: Developing a model-based method for splitting PP into two components expressing the contribution of a pressure-independent stiffness ('elastic', elPP) and the pressure-dependence of stiffness ('stiffening', stPP), and investigating their predictive power for all-cause mortality., Methods: Deriving quantitative expressions for elPP and stPP assuming an exponential pressure-volume relationship in arteries, calculated from ambulatory blood pressure (BP) data and estimate standardized hazard ratios with Cox proportional hazards regression in selected patient groups., Results: Ambulatory BP records of 1999 consecutive hypertensive patients, of whom 103 died from all causes within 5 years, were analyzed. PP, elPP, stPP and stPP/elPP (PP variables) (mean ± SD) were 60 ± 14, 50 ± 10, 10 ± 8 and 0.20 ± 0.14 mmHg, respectively. elPP and stPP were weakly correlated (r = 0.21). Predictive power was found for patients with heart rate less than 70: mean [95% confidence interval] (P value) hazard ratio of PP, stPP and stPP/elPP (adjusted) were 1.48 [1.13-1.95] (P = 0.005), 1.58 [1.20-2.09] (P = 0.001) and 1.78 [1.25-2.52] (P = 0.001), respectively. The elPP (83% of PP) did not show predictive power. None of the PP variables displayed predictive power for the higher-heart-rate subgroup., Conclusion: Ambulatory PP components provide a novel and clinically valuable tool bridging between PP and arterial properties. Replacing PP by its components, taken as independent variables, may improve predictive power. The prognostic significance of the PP for all-cause mortality in elderly hypertensive patients with lower heart rates is dominated by its smaller component that quantifies arterial stiffening with pressure.

Objective: To determine the association between hypertension at age 90 years, treatment, and 5-year mortality., Design: A prospective observational study of a representative community-dwelling birth cohort (born 1920-1921) by the Jerusalem Longitudinal Study (1990-2015)., Setting: Home-assessment., Participants: 480 subjects aged 90, examined 2010-2011. Measurements and Main Outcome: Hypertension was defined as treatment with antihypertensive medication, and/or sitting blood pressure (BP) > 140 mmHg systolic or >90 mmHg diastolic. Subjects were categorized as normotensive (NORMO), untreated hypertensive (NonTx-HTN), and treated hypertensive (Tx-HTN); assessment included activities of daily living (ADL), handgrip strength, and all-cause mortality (2010-2015)., Results: NORMO, NonTx-HTN, and Tx-HTN prevalence was 12.3% (59/480), 12.7% (61/480), and 75% (360/480). Tx-HTN had higher rates of low education, depression, low physical activity, chronic heart failure, ischemic heart disease, chronic kidney disease. Five-year survival was lowest among Tx-HTN and highest among NonTx-HTN versus NORMO among all subjects (51%, 72%, 61%; P = .01), and subgroups with ADL independence (64%, 91%, 74%; n = 265, P = .01), ADL dependence (37%, 55%, 48%; n = 194, P = .36), high grip strength (66%, 85%, 83%; n = 227, P = .04), low grip strength (38%, 60%, 61%; n = 149, P = .06), low comorbidity (64%, 84%, 70%; n = 219, P = .13), and high comorbidity (42%, 60%, 54%; n = 257, P = .12). Unadjusted mortality hazards ratios (HR) were higher for Tx-HTN [HR 1.38; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.89-2.15] versus NonTx-HTN (HR 0.7; 95% CI 0.37-1.31) compared to NORMO (HR 1.0). After adjusting for medical and functional covariates, adjusted HRs were higher for Tx-HTN (HR 1.39; 95% CI 0.83-2.33) versus NonTx-HTN (HR 0.67; 95% CI 0.31-1.45) compared to NORMO (HR 1.0). Findings were consistent in subsets according to ADL status, grip strength, and comorbidity., Conclusions: Untreated hypertension at age 90 years was not associated with increased mortality risk among community-dwelling elderly, irrespective of comorbidity, functional status, or muscle strength., (Copyright © 2016 AMDA – The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To investigate the association with mortality of orthostatic hypertension (OHYPER) amongst the oldest old., Methods: Two waves of community-dwelling residents born in 1920-1921 were examined at age of 85 (n = 1004) and 90 (n = 437). OHYPER, orthostatic hypotension (OHYPO), or orthostatic normotension (ONORMO) were so classified when difference of standing-sitting SBP either increased or decreased by at least 20 mmHg or not., Results: Prevalence of OHYPO, ONORMO, and OHYPER was 5% (n = 48), 91% (n = 915), and 4% (n = 41) at age 85, and 9% (n = 39), 88% (n = 385), and 3% (n = 13) at age 90. There was a tendency for fewer men among OHYPER, and significantly more participants with financial hardship, higher weight, loneliness, and anemia (P < 0.05 for all) among the 85-year-olds, fewer with poor self-rated health, and more with anemia among the 90-year-olds. Sitting blood pressure was 157 ± 22/75 ± 11, 147 ± 21/74 ± 11, and 140 ± 16/74 ± 10 mmHg among OHYPO, ONORMO, and OHYPER at age 85 (P < 0.0001), and 166 ± 28/75 ± 10, 145 ± 23/69 ± 11, and 138 ± 23/74 ± 9 mmHg at age 90 (P < 0.0001). Ten-year survival were 27, 30, and 27%, respectively, at age 85 (log-rank P = 0.34). Five-year survival were 57, 67, and 55%, respectively, at age 90 (log-rank P = 0.14). In an adjusted Cox proportional hazards ratio model, OHYPER at age 85 was not associated with mortality (hazards ratio = 0.95, 95% confidence interval 0.65-1.39). The few OHYPER among 90-year-olds precluded modeling., Conclusion: OHYPER is quite uncommon among community-dwelling 85 and 90-year-olds and is not associated with increased mortality.

Objective: The linear relationship between blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (or period) over 24 h has been suggested to be a marker for neural regulation of the circadian variations in BP and heart rate. We investigated the predictive power of indices defined by the ratio between BP and heart period variability that is a known expression for such a relationship., Methods: We analysed BP and heart rate data obtained by standard 24-h BP monitoring in 1246 hypertensive patients, 76 of whom died from all causes during 5-year follow-up. SBP, DBP and heart period (T) variabilities were estimated by standard deviations. Studied indices were the SBP-T variability ratio (dS/dT) and the DBP-T variability ratio (dD/dT). Standardized hazard ratios and odds ratios were determined using Cox regression and logistic regression, respectively., Results: Significant covariates adjusted hazard ratios for dS/dT and dD/dT that gradually increased across the following cohorts: entire sample, high-median age and high-median age and heart period: mean [95% confidence interval (95% CI)] 1.23 (1.03-1.47), 1.26 (1.05-1.52) and 1.55 (1.19-2.02), and 1.36 (1.07-1.72), 1.40 (1.09-1.80) and 1.57 (1.15-2.14), respectively. The corresponding odd ratios were similar in all cohorts: about 1.5 (1.2-2.0) and 1.3 (1.1-1.5). The adjusted indices size was greater in nonsurvivors (P =0.000001 and P = 0.003, respectively)., Conclusion: The 24-h BP to heart period variability ratios are powerful independent predictors of all-cause mortality, especially for elderly hypertensive patients with slow heart rate. The results support their interpretation as integrative indices of cardiovascular function and markers for cardiovascular dysregulation during low DBP states, with potential use in clinical practice.

Background: Salt-sensitivity is difficult to assess with salt diet., Methods: : Salt-sensitivity risk was estimated from ambulatory blood pressure monitoring indices, patient data, and 20-year all-cause mortality. Tracings of 2064 untreated patients from our clinical monitoring service were evaluated for the prevalence and associations of salt-sensitivity risk, which was considered low in patients with both mean arterial pressure dipping more than 10% and 24-h heart rate less than 70  bpm; high in patients with dipping 10% or less and 24-h heart rate at least 70  bpm; and intermediate in patients with the other combinations., Results: Low, intermediate, and high salt-sensitivity categories were predicted for 33% (366/1099), 57% (624/1099), and 10% (109/1099) of men and 18% (177/965), 67% (630/965), and 16% (158/965) of women, respectively (χ(2) < 0.0001). Positive linear trends were noted between salt-sensitivity and BMI, clinic and 24-h ambulatory blood pressure, awake and sleep ambulatory heart rate and awake and sleep blood pressure variability, and negative trend with heart rate dipping (all P < 0.005). Kaplan-Meier analyses revealed increased mortality in association with salt-sensitivity in men but not in women (P < 0.02). With low and intermediate salt-sensitivity as reference, adjusted Cox proportional hazard ratios for all-cause mortality associated with high sensitivity were 1.96 (95% confidence interval 1.07-3.62) in men and 1.02 (0.51-2.07) in women., Conclusion: To the extent that ambulatory blood pressure-derived estimation of salt-sensitivity is feasible, analysis of our database suggests increased mortality risk in men but not in women, in whom salt-sensitivity was more common.

Objective: Hypertension is among the most common chronic complaints of older people. Among very old people with common co morbidities, it remains uncertain whether the benefits of long-term treatment seen among younger people, are also observed. Our objective was to assess the relationship of blood pressure (BP) at age 85 with 5-year all-cause mortality., Design: A longitudinal prospective cohort study, of an age-homogenous, representative sample born 1920-1921., Setting: Community-based home assessments., Participants: West Jerusalem residents (1159) born 1920-1921, all aged age 85 during 2005-2006, currently enrolled in the Jerusalem Longitudinal Study., Intervention: None., Measurements: Comprehensive geriatric assessment of numerous health variables. BP was determined as the average of 6 measurements, from 2 separate home visits. Hypertension (HTN) defined as either treatment with antihypertensive medications, or blood pressure >140 mm Hg systolic, or >90 mm Hg. The study outcome was all-cause 5-year mortality. Mortality data were collected from the National Ministry of Interior., Results: One hundred and nine (9.4%) were normotensive, 152 (13.1%) untreated, and 898 (77.5%) treated hypertensives. Treatment rate was 78%, and controlled hypertension rate 38%. During 5 years 328 (28.3%) patients died. Kaplan-Meier survival curves and log rank analysis showed no difference in mortality between normotensive, untreated and treated hypertensive subjects according to sex. Treated subjects with controlled Systolic Blood Pressure (SBP) had lowest survival rate of 67%, P = .029. Continuous SBP yielded a hazard ratio (HR) for mortality of 1.00, (95% CI 0.95-1.01), after adjusting in Cox proportional hazard models for sex, heart failure, physical activity, self-rated health, diabetes, coronary and cerebrovascular diseases, smoking and antihypertensive therapy. Results were unaffected after excluding 114 deaths within the first 2-years of follow-up. Similar results were found when examining BP either as a dichotomous variable, according to treatment, or pulse pressure., Conclusions: Raised SBP was not associated with increased 5-year mortality among a representative cohort of community-dwelling 85-year-olds. Indeed, before adjustment for co morbidities, subjects with controlled SBP tended to have a worse survival., (Copyright © 2012 American Medical Directors Association, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Morning blood pressure surge (MS) is accepted to increase cardiovascular risk, but it is not clear how it should be defined. Because dipping on 24-h ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) associates with improved outcome we hypothesized that MS will not predict mortality independent of dipping., Methods: We investigated a cohort of 2,627 patients referred for ABPM with available values for at least 1-h after awakening, and related them to all-cause mortality., Results: During 22,353 person-years of follow-up, 246 patients died. We used Cox proportional hazards models to explore mortality associated with different definitions of the MS. Only the "1-h" MS (difference between average blood pressure (BP) 1-h before and after awakening) was related to mortality: after multiple adjustments including 24-h systolic BP, those whose "1-h" MS was above median (>12 mm Hg) had mortality hazard ratio (HR) of 0.61, 95% CI: 0.47-0.79, P < 0.001. In predetermined subgroup analyses, nondippers (n = 1,039), had a highly significant MS-related decrease in mortality: HR 0.49, 95% CI: 0.34-0.73, P < 0.001, unlike dippers (n = 1,588), HR = 0.90, 95% CI: 0.60-1.34., Conclusion: Among nondipping subjects referred for ABPM, the MS is associated with decreased mortality.

Blood pressure (BP) assessment may be vulnerable to bias by increased BP variability. Uncertainty in determining BP control is inherent to the clinic setting. We analyzed a registry of 3949 patients referred for ambulatory BP monitoring. The difference between clinic and ambulatory readings was plotted against ambulatory BP variability, assessed by standard deviation. In addition, BP variability of patients with clinic and awake ambulatory hypertension was compared with that of patients with controlled BP and sustained hypertension, respectively. The average clinic-ambulatory systolic BP difference was 5 ± 17/3 ± 9 mm  Hg. Patients with >10-mm  Hg systolic difference had higher systolic ambulatory BP standard deviation (14.9 ± 4.2 mm  Hg) compared to patients with a difference of 0 to 10-mm  Hg (standard deviation 12.5 ± 3.7 mm  Hg). Patients with masking (negative clinic-ambulatory BP difference) also had comparatively higher standard deviation (14.4 ± 4.9 mm  Hg P<0.0001). Greater ambulatory BP variability carried increased risk for both false diagnosis of hypertension (odds ratio (OR): 2.09, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.58-2.76), and missed clinic diagnosis of hypertension (OR: 1.86, 95% confidence interval: 1.48-2.33). The former was more striking in women, in whom high variability carried greater odds for false diagnosis of hypertension (OR: 2.76, 95% confidence interval: 1.96-3.89). Thus, clinic misjudgment of BP control may stem in part from high BP variability. Women with high BP variability are more susceptible to hypertension misdiagnosis. It is possible that high BP variability contributes to the increased cardiovascular risk related to both masked hypertension and white coat hypertension.

We explored the predictive ability of the blood pressure variability ratio (BPVR), defined as the ratio of 24-h ambulatory systolic blood pressure variability to diastolic variability, and evaluated its predictable relation with blood pressure and the Ambulatory Arterial Stiffness Index (AASI). A total of 3433 consecutive patients were followed up to 16 years for all-cause mortality. Blood pressure variability was expressed by the standard deviation. BPVR, which is the systolic-on-diastolic slope estimated by a known type of symmetric regression ('reduced major axis'), was compared with other expressions of this slope and with AASI using other regression procedures. Time-dependent Cox proportional hazard models, adjusted for demographics, 24-h mean blood pressure, 24-h pulse pressure and dipping were used to assess the association of BPVR and slope-related parameters with all-cause mortality. We found that Pearson's correlation between BPVR and the symmetric slope was 0.957, and between 1-1/BPVR (an AASI-equivalent expression) and the symmetric version of AASI was 0.973. BPVR was entirely independent of mean arterial pressure (r=0.013). Systolic and diastolic ambulatory blood pressure variability was not significantly associated with mortality. Over 16 years, BPVR predicted all-cause mortality [hazard ratio=1.21 (95% CI 1.05-1.40) per 1 s.d. increase]. In time-dependent models, increased BPVR was strongly associated with an 18-month mortality, weakly related to 7 years mortality, showing no effect thereafter. Thus, the ratio between 24-h systolic and diastolic blood pressure variability, readily available from ambulatory monitoring reports, is an easy-to-calculate systolic-on-diastolic slope. It is a blood pressure-independent measure believed to express an arterial property, with prognostic power similar to that of AASI.

Body mass and body fat are known modulators of blood pressure (BP) measured by clinic sphygmomanometry. However, the ambulatory BP-monitoring characteristics unique to obesity have not been widely studied. We reviewed the literature on ambulatory BP monitoring for links between measures of body adiposity in lean and overweight children and adults and various BP measures obtained by ambulatory monitoring. Collectively, the findings suggest significant associations of adiposity with ambulatory BP and heart rate, sleep-related BP dipping, and the white-coat phenomenon.

In the current study, we investigated the expression and activity of ACE2 during pregnancy in normotensive and hypertensive rats, focusing on the relative contribution of the uterus and the placentas, the kidney serving as a reference. We used the Sabra rat model of salt-sensitive hypertension. We confirmed a systemic vasodilatory state during the third trimester of pregnancy, as evidenced by a reduction in blood pressure, both in normotensive and hypertensive rats. At the time that blood pressure was reduced, ACE2 was expressed abundantly in the reproductive organs. The relative levels of ACE2 mRNA in the pregnant animal were placenta > kidneys > or = uterus and of ACE2 activity kidney > placenta > uterus. In the uterus and the placenta, ACE2 expression was unaffected by strain, salt-loading, or the level of blood pressure. ACE2 activity in the uterus of the nonpregnant rat was not affected by any of these variables either, but during pregnancy increased in salt-loaded animals. When estimating the total contribution of the uterus to ACE2 mRNA and activity during pregnancy, we found that the amount of ACE2 mRNA increased in both strains irrespective of diet, but that ACE2 activity increased only in salt-loaded animals. We further estimated the relative total contribution of the uterus, placentas, and kidneys to ACE2 expression and activity during pregnancy by adjusting for mass and number of organs and found that the placentas were the major contributors, followed by the kidney and the uterus. We conclude that during pregnancy, the placentas, in particular, but also the uterus, constitute important sources of ACE2, in addition to its normal production in the kidney, leading to an estimated twofold increase in total ACE2 activity. These data are consistent the hypothesis that transient ACE2 overexpression and increased activity during pregnancy may be important in modulating systemic, as well as local hemodynamics in the uteroplacental unit.

Objective: Previous reports on the prognosis of white coat hypertension are ambiguous. We aimed to determine the prognostic implications of the white coat phenomenon in treated patients., Methods: Our 14-year hospital-based ambulatory blood pressure (BP) monitoring prospective database was analyzed for all-cause mortality. The relationships of the white coat and masking effects with mortality were assessed both categorically (controlled awake versus clinic BP) and in a continuous mode (clinic-awake BP difference)., Results: During the follow-up period, 2285 treated patients (aged 61 +/- 13 years, 57% women) were monitored (17621 patient-years, 286 deaths). Mean BMI was 27.8 +/- 4.5 kg/m2 and 13% were treated for diabetes. Controlled hypertension (normal clinic and awake BP) was found in 15.8%, high clinic BP (with controlled awake BP; namely, white coat uncontrolled hypertension) in 12.1%, awake hypertension (with controlled clinic BP; namely, masked uncontrolled hypertension) in 11.8%, and sustained hypertension (both clinic and awake) in 60.3%. Compared with white coat uncontrolled hypertension, age-adjusted Cox-proportional all-cause mortality hazard ratios were 1.42 (0.81-2.51) for controlled hypertension, 1.88 (1.08-3.27) for masked uncontrolled hypertension, and 2.02 (1.30-3.13) for sustained hypertension. Hazards ratios per 1% increase in the clinic-awake BP difference were 0.992 (0.983-1.002) for systolic BP and 0.981 (0.971-0.991) for diastolic BP, adjusted for age, sex, diabetes, and either systolic or diastolic awake BP, respectively., Conclusion: In treated hypertensive patients referred for ambulatory BP monitoring, the white coat effect is benign compared with the reverse (masking) phenomenon, which has a poorer prognosis.

Objectives: Systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) frequently display a linear relationship characterized by the systolic-versus-diastolic slope ('Slope') or the 'ambulatory arterial stiffness index' [AASI = 1 - (diastolic-versus-systolic Slope)] and the correlation coefficient r. We evaluated the effect of using symmetric regression on the AASI and its dependence on clinical characteristics using 24-h ambulatory monitoring., Methods: Ambulatory monitoring data of 140 patients (age 56 +/- 17 years, 45% men) were retrieved from a service database. Slope and the AASI were evaluated using symmetric regression procedures, and the AASI also by standard regression., Results: Correlation between SBP and DBP was r = 0.74 +/- 0.14 (r > 0.5 in 95% of patients). Low r-values (when SBP correlates poorly with DBP) were tightly linked with nondipping (P < 0.00001). Use of symmetric rather than standard regression eliminated the bias in slope-related parameters and unmasked their dependence on clinical characteristics. Both symmetric Slope and the AASI were independent of mean arterial pressure and r, increased with pulse pressure (P < 0.01 and P < 0.0001, respectively), with the greater effect of wider pulse pressure in older age (P < 0.005 for both). The symmetric slope was 1.29 +/- 0.28, showing bivariate dependence (r = 0.82) on age (exponential, with P < 0.00001) and pulse pressure dipping (P < 0.00001), increased for antihypertensive drug treatment (0.07 +/- 0.03, P < 0.05) and diabetes mellitus (0.18 +/- 0.06, P < 0.005)., Conclusions: Application of symmetrical regression provides a more valid estimate of the systolic-on-diastolic slope and the AASI, less influenced by goodness of fit and nocturnal dipping and more sensitive to age and disease states such as hypertension and diabetes, thus providing an improved index of arterial stiffening.