Correlation between carotid artery plaque and blood pressure variability in elderly patients with hypertension

Abstract

Objective To investigate the correlation between carotid artery plaque and blood pressure variability (BPV) in elderly patients with hypertension. Methods One hundred sixty elderly patients with hypertension were divided into plaque and non-plaque groups according to the results of carotid artery ultrasonography. All the patients were measured by ambulatory blood pressure monitoring. The mean blood pressure, mean pulse pressure, and blood pressure variability coefficient of two groups were calculated and compared during whole day, daytime, and nighttime. The related factors of carotid artery plaque were analyzed by multivarite logistic regression analysis. Results The 24 h systolic blood pressure standard deviation, daytime and nighttime of systolic blood pressure standard deviation, daytime diastolic blood pressure standard deviation of plaque group were higher than those of non-plaque group (P<0.05). The 24 h systolic blood pressure variation (24 h SBPV) and night systolic blood pressure variation (nSBPV) were higher than those of non-plaque group (P<0.01). Multivariate regression analysis results showed that carotic artery plaque was associated positively with 24 h BPV and blood pressure variability coefficient of nighttime (P<0.05). Conclusions The elderly hypertensive patients with carotid artery plaque is associated positively with 24 h systolic blood pressure variability coefficient and blood pressure variability of nighttime. Key words: Hypertension/PP/CO; Blood pressure; Carotid artery diseases/CO