Arterial stiffness and carotid arteries: correlation with daily blood pressure profile in essential hypertension

Abstract

Objective. To study the relationship between arterial stiffness, augmentation index and the structure of the carotid arteries with daily blood pressure (BP) profile in patients with essential hypertension (HTN). Design and methods. Altogether 155 patients with HTN aged 30–70 years were examined. A physical examination, glucose, creatinin level and lipid profile (low- and high-density lipoproteins, and triglycerides) (biochemical analyzer Sinсhron SX‑4 DELTA, Beckman, USA), duplex scanning of carotid arteries (Sequoia‑512, Acuson, USA), and arterial stiffness assessment by pulse wave contour analysis (Angioscan‑01, Angioscan, Russia) were performed. Results . Augmentation index was associated with the nocturnal BP reduction in hypertensive males, but not females. In males, augmentation index was 6,8 ± 11,5 %, 12,7 ± 10,9 % and 14,5 ± 7,7 % for the dippers, nondippers and night-peakers, respectively (p 0,05). The lowest values of augmentation index (15,6 ± 14,8 % versus 21,6 ± 13,4 % for non-dippers, p < 0,02) were found in patients with normal circadian BP profile. In addition, more severe carotid atherosclerotic lesions were found in non-dippers (23,2 ± 18,8 %) compared to dippers (13,7 ± 14,5 %, p < 0,01). Conclusions . Patients with HTN and abnormal circadian BP profile show higher augmentation index and more severe atherosclerotic lesions in carotid arteries.