Vascular hemodynamics and blood pressure differences between young and older women

Brantley K Ballenger,Gary R Hunter,Gordon Fisher

doi:10.1186/s40885-021-00181-3

Brantley K Ballenger, Gary R Hunter + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1186/s40885-021-00181-3

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Abstract

BackgroundCardiovascular disease is one of the main causes of death in the United States, and hypertension is a primary risk factor. Therefore, the primary causes of hypertension need to be identified so they may be addressed for treatment. The purpose of this study was to compare blood pressure with hemodynamic values and identify factors that may explain blood pressure differences between a cohort of healthy normotensive younger and older women.MethodsParticipants were 49 young (age: 33.8 ± 5.9) and 103 old (age: 65.8 ± 4) who were non-hypertensive, had no previous history of heart disease or type 2 diabetes, body mass index less than 30 kg/m2, normal electrocardiography response at rest and during exercise, nonsmokers, and no use of medications known to affect cardiovascular or metabolic function. Body composition measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Hemodynamic values measured by non-invasive pulse wave velocity through radial artery tonometry. Markers of inflammation measured through blood sample analysis.ResultsSignificant differences exist between young and old groups in %fat (P < 0.001), systolic blood pressure (SBP) (P = 0.001), large artery elasticity (P = 0.005), small artery elasticity (P < 0.001), systemic vascular resistance (P = 0.004), total vascular impedance (P < 0.001), estimated cardiac output (P < 0.001), and tumor necrosis factor-⍺ (TNF-⍺) (P < 0.001). Using ANCOVA the difference in SBP between age groups was no longer significant after adjusting for small artery elasticity (P < 0.001) and TNF-⍺ (P = 0.041).ConclusionsThese data demonstrate that blood pressure and vascular hemodynamic measures differ significantly between young and old women independent of body composition. Furthermore, these differences may be explained by the inflammation marker TNF-⍺ and/or small artery elasticity.

Highlights

Cardiovascular disease is one of the main causes of death in the United States, and hypertension is a primary risk factor
Independent cofounding variables include age, % Fat DXA body fat, LAE large artery elasticity, SAE small artery elasticity, CRP C-reactive protein, TNF-α tumor necrosis factor-α and IL-6 interleukin-6. *P < 0.05 in analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) after adjusting for age adjusting for age
Models 2–7 demonstrate the ANCOVA for systolic blood pressure (SBP) after adjusting for age, and a third variable. These data demonstrate that SBP differences observed between young and old were independent of %fat, LAE, CRP, and IL-6

Summary

Introduction

Cardiovascular disease is one of the main causes of death in the United States, and hypertension is a primary risk factor. Hypertension is a primary risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and even a slight increase in blood pressure can heighten the risk for developing CVD [1]. Previous studies have shown that in menopausal women with endothelial dysfunction, carotid arterial stiffness and epicardial fat thickness are associated with the menopausal transition being independent of age [10]. It is difficult to determine if high blood pressure and/or arterial stiffness in women is associated with aging, secondary comorbidities, obesity, systemic inflammation, inactivity, or other natural occurrences such as menopause. It is important to determine whether central arterial stiffness is a cause or effect of elevated blood pressure [11]

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