Is Arterial Stiffness a Determinant of Hypotension?

INTRODUCTION: Previous observation identified both hypotension and arterial aging, indexed as Pulse Wave Velocity (PWV), as significant determinants of cognitive decline in older subjects. AIM: To investigate the role of PWV as a determinant of hypotension in older patients. METHODS: A cohort of 344 subjects came to our Outpatient Clinic, free of cancer, acute myocardial infarction or stroke, atrial fibrillation, renal, hepatic or cardiac failure, secondary hypertension, or thyroid disease. RESULTS: Hypotension occurred in 49% of participants. SBP levels (OR 0.79, 95% CI 0.67-0.84, p < 0.01), PWV (OR 0.86, 95% CI 0.77-0.94, p < 0.01), and use of beta-blockers (OR 2.42, 95% CI 1.09-5.36, p < 0.05), were independent determinants of the risk of hypotension. CONCLUSIONS: Hypotension is a quite common phenomenon in older subjects. Its prevention requires a more accurate management of hypertension aimed at better identifying which older subjects in whom intensive BP control may be harmful and those who may benefit from it.

Common Carotid Artery Calcification Impacts on Cognitive Function in Older Patients.

INTRODUCTION: Cognitive impairment and dementia represent an emerging health problem. Cardiovascular (CV) risk factors contribute to cognitive impairment. AIM: To investigate the effect of vascular calcification on cognitive impairment and dementia, independently of plaque and traditional CV risk factors. METHODS: Four hundred and sixty-nine patients (age of 78.6 ± 6.1 years, 74.4% women) were studied. Traditional CV risk factors levels, cognitive function (MMSE), brain CT scan, and other vascular parameters were measured. Common Carotid Artery (CCA) plaque and calcification were evaluated by ultrasound. RESULTS: CCA calcification was associated with a lower MMSE score than in subjects with no CCA calcification (23.7 ± 0.3 versus 25.5 ± 0.8; p = 0.015), after controlling for age, sex, education, blood pressure levels, diabetes, creatinine, lipid lowering therapy, neuroimaging alteration, and CCA plaque. Similarly, CCA calcification was associated with higher odds of dementia regardless of the presence of CCA plaque (OR 1.70, 95% CI 1.01-2.94, p < 0.05). This trend was not observed when stratifying patients according to the presence of CCA plaque. CONCLUSION: CCA calcification is associated with cognitive impairment and dementia, independently of established CV risk factors and CCA plaque. The impact of arterial calcification on cognition seems largely independent of arterial stiffness.

An operational definition of SHATS (Systemic Hemodynamic Atherosclerotic Syndrome): Role of arterial stiffness and blood pressure variability in elderly hypertensive subjects.

BACKGROUND: CV risk exponentially increases as the number of damaged organs increases The Systemic Hemodynamic Atherosclerotic Syndrome (SHATS) represents a novel conceptualization of the CV continuum focusing on simultaneous multi-organ alteration. This is the first study operationally defining SHATS and aimed at identifying its determinants. METHODS: Left Ventricular Hypertrophy (echocardiography), Common Carotid Artery plaque and increased thickness (ultrasound), and Chronic Kidney Disease (estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate) indexed selective target organ damage. SHATS was operationally defined as their simultaneous presence in a patient. PWV was measured by Sphygmocor® and BP variability by 24 h ABPM. RESULTS: SHATS affected 19.9% of the 367 studied subjects. Subjects with SHATS had a similar prevalence in diabetes mellitus, but a greater prevalence of very stiff artery (84.9 vs 64.3%, p < 0.01) and use of antihypertensive medications. In the presence of similar office BP, SHATS was associated with higher 24 h SBP and lower 24 h DBP (a greater pulsatile pressure!), reduced nighttime SBP fall, and a twofold greater prevalence of reverse dipper status (48.2 vs 20.2%, p < 0.001). BMI (positive correlation) and DBP (negative correlation) were the only traditional CV risk factors significantly associated with the odds of having SHATS. Very stiff artery and BP variability were significant independent determinants of SHATS, with highly predictive accuracy. CONCLUSION: SHATS, the simultaneous damage of multiple target organs, may easily operationally defined. Very stiff artery and BP variability represent key factors for SHATS. The present results support the hypothesis of SHATS as a systemic condition, needing further characterization.

Circadian blood pressure patterns and blood pressure control in patients with chronic kidney disease.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Hypertension is a major risk factor for chronic kidney disease (CKD), and CKD progression is associated with suboptimal blood pressure (BP) control. Here we evaluate the impact of CKD on the attainment of BP control and the circadian BP profile in older subjects. METHODS: In this observational study, we studied 547 patients referred to the hypertension clinic, of whom 224 (40.9%) had CKD. Blood pressure (BP) control and circadian BP patterns were evaluated by 24-hour ambulatory BP monitoring. Circadian BP variability was measured as the within-subject SD of BP, the percentage of measurements exceeding normal values, hypotension, and dipping status. RESULTS: The attainment of adequate BP control was similar in subjects with or without CKD (around 31%). Logistic regression analysis indicated that CKD was not a determinant of adequate BP control (OR 1.004; 95% CI 0.989-1.019; p = 0.58). Patients with CKD presented as twice as higher prevalence of reverse dipper (night-time peak) for systolic BP and episodes of hypotension during daytime, independently of BP control. CONCLUSIONS: Knowledge of the circadian pattern of BP in hypertensive subjects with CKD could inform better than attainment of BP target about risky condition for CKD progression and cognitive decline and allow a more personalized antihypertensive treatment.