INFLUENCE OF SYSTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE CONTROL IN ELDERLY PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC HFPEF

Abstract

Objective: Heart failure is a major public health problem and one of the leading causes of ospitalisation and death. Since HFPEF increases with age, it is an increasingly worrisome health problem in countries with higher life expectancies. Since the influence of BP is essential in HFPEF, and its control in the outpatient is not clear, we propose to evaluate this variable in a retrospective cohort. Design and method: Retrospective study of patients with HFPEF, older than 80 years, followed up in outpatient consultation after ospitalisation for HF, in a Teaching Hospital. Data were obtained from electronic medical records with prior authorization from the Ethics Committee. Results: 106 patients were included. For analysis we use a cut-off point of SBP (measured in the office at the first visit) below 90 mmHg, between 90 and 139 mmHg and equal or above 140 mm Hg. For DBP we used a a cut-off point of DBP od 70 mmHg. As for the characteristics the only differences were that those with Low SBP had significantly lower LVEF as those with normal or high SBP (54% vs 59 p 0.035). As for DBP, those with low DBP had significantly lower Heart Rate than those with High DBP (72 bpm vs 79 bpm, p 0.039) There were no mortality differences between those with low SBP, normal SBP and high SBP, neither on those with low DBP or Normal High DBP. Kaplan Meier curve showed a non-significant trend to higher mortality on those with lower BP Conclusions: In our study, we have not observed differences in mortality between those patients with BP with good control versus those with poor control. Although there may be a selection bias and this is a retrospective study, more studies are needed to assess the influence of BP controls on the evolution of HF in octogenarian patients