Blood Pressure Control Research Articles

Effect of Intensive Blood Pressure Lowering on the Risk of Incident Silent Myocardial Infarction: A Post Hoc Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Silent myocardial infarction (SMI) frequently goes undetected, yet it is associated with increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The impact of intensive systolic blood pressure (SBP) lowering on the risk of SMI in those with hypertension remains uncertain. In this post hoc analysis of the Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial (SPRINT), participants with serial electrocardiograms (ECGs) during the trial were included. SPRINT investigated the benefit of intensive SBP lowering, aiming for < 120 mmHg compared to the standard SBP goal of < 140 mmHg. Incident SMI was defined as evidence of new MI on an ECG without adjudicated recognized myocardial infarction (RMI). During a median follow-up of 3.9 years, a total of 234 MI events (55 SMI and 179 RMI) occurred. Intensive, compared to standard, SBP lowering resulted in a lower rate of SMI (incidence rate 1.1 vs. 2.3 cases per 1000 person-years, respectively; HR [95% CI]: 0.48 [0.27-0.84]). Similarly, intensive, compared to standard, BP lowering reduced the risk of RMI (incidence rate 4.6 vs. 6.5 cases per 1000 person-years, respectively; HR [95% CI]: 0.71 [0.52-0.95]). No significant differences were noted between the strength of the association of intensive BP control on lowering the risk of SMI and RMI (p-value for HR differences = 0.23). This study shows that in adults with hypertension, the benefits of intensive SBP lowering, compared with standard BP lowering, go beyond the prevention of RMI to include the prevention of SMI. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01206062.

Nationwide trends in blood pressure control among those with and without diabetes in England over last 2 decades: Health Survey of England 2003-2019

Abstract Diabetes and hypertension are both risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD), and often co-exist. Over recent decades practice guidance and health policy efforts have been made to improve population wide blood pressure (BP) control, particularly amongst those with diabetes, to reduce CVD. However, the nationwide impact of these ongoing efforts is yet to be documented comprehensively in England. We used data from 11 serial nationally representative health surveys of England between 2003 and 2019 and compared BP control and presence of untreated hypertension amongst those with and without diabetes. These cross-sectional, randomly sampled surveys included 94,100 individuals cumulatively. We applied sample weights, accounting for oversampling and survey nonresponse, and transformations mitigating for survey equipment changes during this period. We used ‘period definitions’ to define those with diabetes and quantify BP control at the time of each coinciding survey, facilitating accurate comparison of trends over the sixteen-year period, while accounting for changes in understanding, variations in definitions, and shifts in medical practices. Python and STATA were used to conduct analyses and Join Point regression software was used to develop and compare trends. In England, from 2003-2019, the prevalence of hypertension amongst those with diabetes and without diabetes decreased from 74.4% to 66.5% and from 32.6% to 27.1% (7.9% vs. 5.5%), respectively. This corresponded to reductions in population-wide mean systolic (S) and diastolic (D) BPs: compared to those without diabetes, those with diabetes had greater reduction in both SBP (7.9mmHg vs. 4.8mmHg) and DBP (2.7mmHg vs. 1.9mmHg) (Figure1). Both groups showed similar temporal improvement in BP-control amongst those with diagnosed hypertension, with those with diabetes showing better improvement in BP control compared to those without diabetes (14% vs. 12%). There was a significant difference in proportions of those with undiagnosed (unaware) hypertension amongst those with and without diabetes (11.4% vs. 30.0% respectively) (Figure2). Notably, there was no change in proportion of those with hypertension unaware about the condition (i.e. detection rate for hypertension in either of the group did not show any improvement over time). These results suggest that we have been able to improve BP control over this period amongst those with and without diabetes, however, those without diabetes (more than 90% of population) have shown significantly poorer improvement. In addition, around one third of hypertensive patients amongst the no-diabetes group are unaware of the condition, and overall, the detection rates for hypertension in both groups have not improved in the last two decades. Lessons learnt from improving BP control amongst those with diabetes should be applied across the entire population, and newer strategies need to develop to improve detection of those with hypertension and are unaware.

Blood pressure control and cardiovascular risk assessment in patients with hypertension: a pooled analysis of 6 countries in Eastern and Southern Europe (SNAPSHOT study)

Abstract Background Recent guidelines of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) introduced stricter recommendations regarding blood pressure (BP) control, based on recommended levels following an assessment of cardiovascular (CV) risk. However, data are lacking on perception and actual BP control, and CV risk assessment. Purpose To assess BP control and CV risk assessment in patients with hypertension. Methods This is a cross-sectional multicentre study (SNAPSHOT) including pooled data from 6 countries in Europe. 9466 patients with hypertension were included from 513 participating investigators (69.6% general practitioners [GPs], 17.4% cardiologists, 6.2% endocrinologists). BP control and CV risk were assessed by investigators and compared to the re-assessment based on current ESC guidelines (SCORE1 and SCORE2&amp;2-OP). Results 9443 patients with complete data (65.6±10.7 years, 57.0% female) were analysed from Bulgaria (35.6%), Romania (26.8%), Croatia (13.8%), Serbia (12.5%), Georgia (6.4%), and Spain (4.9%). Most patients had additional risk factors, such as overweight/obesity (81.6%), dyslipidaemia (80.8%), type 2 diabetes (32.8%) or current/former smoking (29.5%). Two or more risk factors (male gender, age ≥65 years, obesity, smoking) were more frequent in patients with very high calculated CV risk (60.9% by SCORE1, 57.7% by SCORE2&amp;2-OP). Systolic and diastolic BPs were 139.3±17.3 mmHg and 82.3±10.9 mmHg, respectively. Almost all patients (98.5%) had their hypertension treated, 54.5% taking a single-pill combination (SPC). The most used drug classes were diuretics (59.6%), angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (59.4%), and beta-blockers (57.0%). Combination therapy of 2 or 3 drug classes (SPC or not) was used in 33.2% and 34.4% of patients, respectively. According to investigators, BP was considered controlled in 75.0% of patients, whereas 48.0% of patients had BP &amp;lt;140/90 mmHg, and only 24.4% of patients were controlled at BP target according to guidelines (Figure 1). CV risk was estimated by investigators as low, moderate, high or very high for 10.1%, 34.9%, 32.0% and 23.0% of patients, respectively, whereas calculated CV risk was very high in most patients (59.1% by SCORE1, 86.8% by SCORE2&amp;2-OP). CV risk estimated by investigators varied by country and by speciality, being high (29.4%, 35.0% and 32.0%) and very high (32.4%, 49.8% and 18.6%) for cardiologists, endocrinologists and GPs, respectively. Compared to calculated CV risk, CV risk estimated by investigators was frequently underestimated (54.4% by SCORE1, 67.6% by SCORE2&amp;2-OP), varying between 30.8% in Spain and 68.2% in Bulgaria for SCORE1, and between 42.1% in Spain and 84.8% in Serbia for SCORE2&amp;2-OP (Figure 2). Conclusion Physicians across 6 European countries tended to overestimate control of BP and underestimate CV risk in patients with hypertension. Our findings highlight the need for better assessment and management of patients according to the latest ESC guidelines.

Impact of blood pressure control on the risk of stroke and mortality in patients with atrial fibrillation across different ages: a nationwide population-based study

Abstract Background High blood pressure in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) is strongly associated with adverse outcomes, including stroke and death. The impact of blood pressure (BP) control on stroke and mortality rates among different age groups in patients with AF has not been extensively studied. Purpose To examine the impact of blood pressure on stroke and death in AF patients by age group. Methods Based on data from the Korean National Health Insurance Service database, we enrolled 194,302 patients newly diagnosed with AF between January 2009 and December 2016, who underwent health check-ups within two years. We divided patients into four groups based on age: 40-49 years, 50-59 years, 60-69 years, and 70 years and above, to analyze the primary outcome based on the level of BP control within each group. BP control was categorized into five levels. Patients with systolic BP (SBP)&amp;lt;120 mmHg and diastolic BP (DBP)&amp;lt;80 mmHg (Level 1), 120≤SBP&amp;lt;130 mmHg and DBP&amp;lt;80 mmHg (level 2), 130≤SBP&amp;lt;140 mmHg and 80≤DBP&amp;lt;90 mmHg (Level 3), 140≤SBP&amp;lt;160 mmHg and 90≤DBP&amp;lt;100 mmHg (Level 4), and patients with SBP≥160 mmHg and DBP ≥100 mmHg (Level 5). We also divided patients into five groups based according to their SBP levels. We analyzed the occurrence of stroke and death based on the level of BP control within each age group. Results Among a total of 194,302 patients, 55,142 (28%) were included in Level 1, 24,925 (13 %) in Level 2, 88,020 (46%) in Level 3, 23,179 (12%) in Level 4, and 3,036 (1%) in Level 5, categorized by blood pressure. During a median follow-up of 5.2±2.4 years, 14,409 patients had an incident stroke (incidence rate, 14.2 per 1000 person-years), and 27,230 patients died (incidence rate, 25.8 per 1000 person-years). The lowest incidence of stroke was in the group with 120≤SBP&amp;lt;130 mmHg and DBP&amp;lt;80 mmHg (Level 2) across most age groups (Figure). Stroke risk significantly increased with BP levels above 160/100 mmHg, and BP≥140/90 mmHg was associated with stroke occurrence from the age of 50 onwards. Higher SBP (160 mmHg) was consistently associated with a higher incidence of stroke across all ages (HR 1.32, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.22-1.43 compared to SBP&amp;lt;100 mmHg). Mortality incidence was also lowest in Level 2, and a trend of gradually increasing mortality was observed as BP levels rise above this level. (Figure). Especially when SBP exceeded 160 mmHg, the probability of death also significantly increased across all age groups below 70 years old. Conclusion Uncontrolled hypertension (especially SBP&amp;gt;160 mmHg) was associated with higher risks of stroke and mortality in patients with AF. This association is notably more significant in the middle-aged group, specifically those between 40 and 59 years old, compared to older age groups. Therefore, particularly in middle-aged groups, it is crucial to emphasize adequate blood pressure control in patients with AF.Figure_DeathFigure_Stroke

Pharmacist care for hypertension management among patients with diabetes: a systematic review

Abstract Background Improving blood pressure (BP) control is of major importance among patients with diabetes, due to their high risk of micro- and macrovascular complications. Community-based models of care with the involvement of pharmacists and other nonphysician healthcare providers can help manage hypertension. We aimed to estimate the effectiveness of pharmacist interventions, alone or in collaboration, on BP among outpatients with diabetes and hypertension. Methods We conducted systematic searches of randomized controlled trials assessing the effect of pharmacist interventions on BP among outpatients with hypertension and diabetes compared to usual care. The outcome was the systolic and diastolic BP change or BP control. We performed a meta-analysis with random effects models and results are presented by mean difference along with relative 95% CI.We will perform subgroup analyses for the types and intensity (duration, frequeny) of pharmacist interventions, patients’ characteristics, and healthcare settings. The protocol was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42021279751) and published in an open-access peer-reviewed journal. Results Out of 2048 study records identified by electronic database searching, we included 9 studies, with 5067 participants, published between 2008 and 2022. These studies were conducted mainly in North America (n = 5; other regions: n = 4). The intervention was led by the pharmacist in 78% of the studies and in collaboration with other healthcare providers in 22%. Pharmacist intervention included patient education in 67%, healthcare providers education in 11% of studies and feedback to healthcare providers in 44% of the studies. Systolic and diastolic BP were reduced after pharmacist intervention by -5.6 mmHg (95% CI: -10.6 to -0.6) and -4.1 mmHg (95% CI: -7.1 to -1.2) respectively. Additional analyses will be presented at the congress. Conclusions Pharmacist interventions improve blood pressure control in hypertensive diabetic outpatients. Key messages • Recent hypertension guidelines recommend pharmacist involvement in hypertension care management. • This systematic review provide updated evidence on the effect of pharmacist interventions on hypertension management of patients with diabetes.

Trends in hypertension prevalence and control in England over the last 3 decades: Health Survey of England 1994-2019

Abstract Globally, raised blood pressure (BP) contributes to more than 10.8 million avoidable deaths from cardiovascular (CV) and renal disease. Understanding national BP control trends amongst hypertensive patients will help inform the effectiveness and gaps in existing pathways and policies. We used data from 13 nationally representative health surveys in England between 1994-2019 to compare nationwide trends in BP control and hypertension awareness over 25 years. We used ‘period’ definitions to define hypertension and BP control (i.e. using existing guidance at the time of the survey) to account for changes in BP targets and definitions. Analyses were also conducted using ‘current definitions’ (i.e. definition of hypertension and BP control targets as per NICE 2023), applied across the entire duration. Sample weights, accounting for oversampling and survey nonresponse, and other relevant transformations were applied. Python and STATA 18 were used to conduct analyses and Join Point regression software was used to compare trends. In England, between 1994-2019, the prevalence of hypertension initially increased sharply by 8% from 23.3% when the BP cut off was lowered in 1999. Thereafter for the next 12 years it remained static at 32-34%, and since 2011 has plateaued at 31-32%, showing only marginal improvement of 1.5% over this 25-year period (Figure 1). This is consistent with population-wide mean systolic (S) and diastolic (D) BPs, and amongst those with and without hypertension. Population-wide there was a reduction in SBP (8.5mmHg) and DBP (3.8mmHg) over the period. There was significantly greater reduction in SBP (11.9 vs 9.5mmHg) and DBP (4.1 vs 2.5mmHg) amongst those with diagnosed hypertension as compared to those without. Using the current target of below 140/90mmHg when evaluating BP control over this period suggests that we have improved. However, when we use ‘period definitions’ of BP targets at that time, it seems that over last 25 years there has been ‘no change’ in the proportion of diagnosed hypertensives with uncontrolled BPs (Figure 2). Additionally, although appearing to increase over the period, there has been no significant change in proportions of those with hypertension who are unaware of this condition since BP cut-offs were lowered in 1999. These findings indicate that in England, over last 25 years, whilst there have been some improvements in population wide mean SBP and DBP with slight reduction in hypertension prevalence, the proportions of those with known hypertension with uncontrolled BPs have remained static. This is despite improvement in medications and practice. Furthermore, there has been little progress in detection of those hypertensive patients who are unaware about and untreated for their condition. Clearly, these call in question the effectiveness of the current policies and clinical practice pathways and provide huge opportunity to improve population wide CV riskSytolic and Diastolic BP trendsTrends in the prevalence of BP control

Effectiveness of Mindfulness Therapy as a Complement to Pharmacological Treatment in the Control of Blood Pressure in Hypertensive Adults: A Quasi-Experimental Study in Lima, Peru.

To evaluate the effectiveness of mindfulness therapy as an adjunct to pharmacological treatment for improving blood pressure (BP) control in hypertensive adult patients at a health center in Lima, Peru. This study employed a quasi-experimental design with a quantitative and longitudinal cohort approach. The participants included 50 adults who were diagnosed with hypertension and who regularly attended the health center in the Villa El Salvador district of Lima, Peru. The data were collected using three instruments: the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS 21), validated in Peru; a sociodemographic questionnaire; and a BP recording sheet. The Wilcoxon test was utilized to assess the effectiveness of mindfulness therapy on BP control, while the nonparametric Friedman test was used to evaluate the effectiveness of mindfulness therapy considering confounding factors. Therapy resulted in favorable outcomes for BP control. After eight sessions, the average systolic BP decreased from 122.8 to 115.0mm Hg (a reduction of 7%), and the average diastolic BP decreased from 78.1 to 69.9mm Hg (a reduction of 11%). Mindfulness is an effective complementary therapy for controlling BP in hypertensive adults. It also helps reduce confounding factors such as stress, anxiety, and depression.

Influence of orthostatic blood pressure changes on the effects of intensive blood pressure control in patients with type 2 diabetes

Abstract Background Intensive blood pressure (BP) control has been proven to reduce the risks of major cardiovascular diseases (CVD) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) (1). Excessive orthostatic BP changes should be fully addressed, given its high prevalence and associations with adverse events among T2DM patients (2-5). However, the benefits of intensive BP control among T2DM patients with significant orthostatic BP changes have been equivocal. Purpose To examine whether orthostatic BP changes modify the efficacy of intensive BP control on CVD outcomes in patients with T2DM. Methods The Action to Control Cardiovascular Risk in Diabetes Blood Pressure trial (ACCORD BP) is a 2×2 factorial designed trial that aimed to evaluate the effects of intensive glycemia and BP control on major CVD events among T2DM patients (6). We enrolled participants with at least one record of orthostatic BP values for analysis. The composite CVD outcome in this study comprised cardiovascular death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal stroke, and hospitalized congestive heart failure. Associations between orthostatic BP changes and the composite CVD outcome and all-cause death, respectively, were presented by restricted cubic spline curves based on multivariable Cox models. We examined if the effects of intensive BP control varied across the orthostatic BP change for the composite CVD outcome and all-cause death. Results Among 4330 participants, 877 (20.3%) experienced episodes of orthostatic hypotension (OH) at baseline or during follow-up. There was no significant difference in the proportions of OH participants between the intensive and standard BP arms. U-shaped associations were observed between orthostatic systolic BP changes and the composite CVD outcome, as well as all-cause mortality (Figure 1). In the standard glycemia arm, intensive BP control was significantly associated with a lower risk of composite CVD outcome (HR 0.76, 95%CI 0.59-0.97). There was a beneficial association of intensive BP control with all-cause mortality without statistical significance (HR 0.85, 95%CI 0.56-1.30). The favorable effect of intensive BP control was not influenced by orthostatic BP changes (P for interaction 0.51 for the composite CVD outcome and 0.97 for all-cause mortality) (Figure 2). Beneficial effects of intensive BP control were not observed for participants in the intensive glycemia arm on the composite CVD outcome (HR 0.99, 95%CI 0.76-1.28) and all-cause mortality (HR 1.19, 0.79-1.80). Conclusion Orthostatic BP changes should not be a barrier to intensive BP control for T2DM patients treated with guideline-recommended standard glycemia control.

Control of arterial hypertension in the context of metabolically-associated disease: challenges and opportunities in Ukraine

Abstract Background/Introduction Arterial hypertension is a prevalent, but modifiable cardiovascular (CV) risk factor. Effective control of blood pressure (BP) is associated with decreased rates of CV morbidity and mortality, as was convincingly demonstrated in randomized clinical trials. There is a substantial gap between BP control in clinical trials and real clinical practice due to multiple factors – e.g. lack of awareness, low medication compliance, side effects of medications, and insufficient availability of medical care – to name the few. The association between poor BP control and metabolically associated disease (MAD) like diabetes and obesity is widely acknowledged and considered the key challenge in effective management of arterial hypertension. Purpose To determine patterns of awareness and control of arterial hypertension in the context of MAD in Ukrainian outpatient patient sample. Methods We enrolled 309 subjects (108 with MAD and 201 without MAD). MAD was defined as the presence of type 2 diabetes and/or overweight/obesity. All subjects were consented for the structured interview and triple sitting BP measurement with an automated device. Results MAD-positive and MAD-negative groups were comparable by age (54.4±1.34 vs 51.8±1.2 years, p=0.29), systolic BP (141.3±2.0 vs 137.4±1.6 mm Hg, p=0.082), diastolic BP (85.2±1.2 vs 82.5±0.9 mm Hg, p=0.13). Presence of MAD was associated with increased odds of having BP&amp;gt;139/89 mm Hg (odds ratio [OR] 1.66, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.04-2.67, p=0.035), better awareness on hypertension (OR 2.65, CI 1.64-4.28, p=0.0001), and less prevalent normotension (OR 0.51, CI 0.31-0.84, p=0.008). Among MAD-positive patients without history of HTN, 50% actually had elevated office BP, although it did not reach statistical significance as compared to MAD-negative subjects (OR 1.32 CI 0.68-2.56, p=0.42, see Picture 1). Less MAD-positive patients did not take any antihypertensive drugs (37.0% vs 56.7%, difference -19.7%, CI -8.03 to -30.51%, p=0.001), and more of them were taking 3 antihypertensive drugs (17.6% vs 7.5%, difference 10.1% CI 2.58-18.85. p=0.007). Only 53.7% of MAD-positive subjects and 39.8% of MAD-negative subjects claimed they were taking BP-lowering medications on a regular basis (p=0.02). There was no difference in achievement of BP control between MAD-positive and MAD-negative groups (39.2 vs 38.7% for subjects who were aware of HTN, 31.9 vs 31.3% of all hypertensive individuals, p=NS for both). More MAD-positive than MAD-negative subjects admitted they consume alcohol several times per week or daily (22.2 vs 12.4%, p=0.025). Conclusions MAD disease is associated with more prevalent HTN and better awareness on elevated BP. MAD requires more intensive BP-lowering therapy to achieve target BP, but the compliance to medications is suboptimal.Patterns of awareness and BP control

Cardiovascular disease burden and risk factor management in cancer survivors: insights from a large-scale East London cohort

Abstract Introduction Improvements in cancer survival have led to an urgent need to address long-term health issues among survivors, notably increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Shared risk factors may underpin at least part of this excess risk. Aims To investigate differences in cardiovascular risk profile between cancer survivors and controls; and to assesses the management of hypertension and statin use among cancer survivors compared with controls in a multi-ethnic and socio-economically diverse population. Methods The data were obtained from electronic health records of 1.2 million people registered with general practices in East London. It provides a snapshot of health records at the time of data extraction (01/01/2023). We identify individuals with record of past cancer (grouped into 20 cancer types) and their cardiovascular profile. Each cancer-exposed patient was age- and sex-matched to four non-cancer comparators. Multivariable logistic regression, with extensive adjustment for demographic and health-related variables, was used to elucidate the independent associations of past cancer with a range of cardiovascular outcomes. Patterns of guideline-directed risk factor control among cancer patients with hypertension and ischaemic CVDs (vs non-cancer controls) were assessed. Results The study consisted of 18,839 cancer survivors and 75,356 matched controls (64±15 years, 43% male), with marked ethnic diversity (cancer survivors: 48% White, 24% Black and 22% Asian) and socio-economic deprivation. Compared to matched controls, patients with past cancer had a higher prevalence of hypertension (44% vs. 41%) and chronic kidney disease (18% vs. 14%). We observed a higher prevalence of CVDs including venous thromboembolism (VTE) (5.6% vs. 2.8%), atrial fibrillation (AF) (6.5% vs. 5%), and heart failure (HF) (4.4% vs. 3.4%) among cancer survivors. Regression models fully adjusted for shared risk factors demonstrated an increased risk of a range of CVDs in patients with (any) past cancer, including VTE (OR 2.01), HF (OR 1.31) and AF (OR 1.27). CVD risk varied across cancer types (Figure 1). For example, lung cancer survivors had an elevated risk of VTE (OR 4.02), AF (OR 2.47), IHD (OR 1.45) and peripheral artery disease (OR 1.67) while colorectal cancer survivors had increased risks of VTE (OR 2.68), HF (OR 1.4) and AF (OR 1.32). In subgroup analyses, control of blood pressure and cholesterol did not differ significantly across cancer survivors and matched controls with hypertension and ischaemic CVDs, respectively. Conclusion We show higher burden of VRFs and an increased risk of CVDs among cancer survivors compared with non-cancer controls, with notable variation across cancer types. The lack of difference in control of blood pressure and cholesterol between cancer survivors and controls suggests that these risk factors did not explain the increased risk. Suggesting that an individualised approach to risk management is likely to be warranted.Risk of CVDs in Cancer Survivors

Pharmacologic treatment of hypertension guided by non-invasive haemodynamics in primary care improves blood pressure control

Abstract Background Current guidelines on hypertension (HTN) provide blood pressure (BP) targets and therapeutic algorithms but ignore the potential to treat individual patients according to their haemodynamic profile. We have shown that use of non-invasive haemodynamic information obtained by impedance cardiography (ICG) can improve BP control in the primary care setting. Purpose To investigate whether improved rates of BP control by matching patients’ non-invasive haemodynamics to specific pharmacologic treatments and increasing patient engagement translates into improved clinical outcome measures. Methods Electronic medical records (EMR) were obtained for 14,698 patients from two US primary care groups between 2014 and 2023. ICG was done when BP exceeded 140/90 mmHg. Haemodynamic measurements included mean arterial pressure (MAP), cardiac index (CI), cardiac power index (CPI), total peripheral resistance index (TPRI), stroke index (SI) and heart rate (HR) (Figure 1). Haemodynamic ICG profiles were classified as: Vasoconstriction, Hyperdynamic, or Mixed pattern. Printed clinical decision support (CDS) tools and later an EMR integrated CDS application were used to communicate recommendations to physicians. Printed reports were shared with patients to increase their engagement. Pharmacological therapy was tailored based on haemodynamic information. Rates of successful BP treatment and the occurrence of myocardial infarction (MI) or stroke were tracked through the EMR. Results Of 14,698 patients, 50% were women, 17% were Black and 17% were aged 18-49 years, 45% aged 50-69 years, and 38% age ≥ 70 years. A total of 21,246 ICGs were performed classifying patients as Vasoconstriction 47%, Hyperdynamic with high heart rate (HR) or high stroke index (SI) 24%, and Mixed Haemodynamic (combination of Vasoconstriction and Hyperdynamic) 29% (Figure 1). Demographic features were not strongly associated with haemodynamic classification. Within 2-3 years of inclusion, &amp;gt;85% of patient achieved BP control (&amp;lt;140/90 mmHg), which was sustained during follow-up. Over a median (IQR) follow-up of 8 (2016-2023) years, there were 14 (5) MI and 34 (16) strokes. These event rates appear to be lower than those reported in other large cohorts of patients with HTN. Conclusions Treating patients with HTN according to their individual haemodynamic profile is associated with high rates of BP control. Further analysis will determine whether the rates of MI, stroke and death are lower than expected based on the patients baseline risk profile.Haemodynamic Status (ICG Test Results)

Do more with less? Impact of personalized very low doses of amlodipine in the PERSONAL-CovidBP trial

Abstract Introduction The Personal-CovidBP study1 tested remote patient use of a drug-device combination of a smartphone application (App) to record blood pressure (BP), novel personalized milligram-by-milligram drug (amlodipine) dose, and relevant side effects daily during the COVID-19 pandemic. Purpose In supplementary data analyses, we examined the effect of using small doses (1 mg) and small increments (1-2 mg) of amlodipine on the BP response and side effects. Methods In this community-based trial with remote monitoring and remote medical management from the investigational site, hypertensive participants aged 18 years + with poor BP control (prior 7 day mean of 135 mmHg systolic BP or above and/or 85 mmHg diastolic BP and above) were enrolled to intervention with open label dose titration over 14 weeks, allowing personalized dosing of liquid amlodipine (1–2 mg steps from 1–10 mg daily). Results 205 patients were enrolled into the intervention group between October 2020 and July 2021. Average BP in intervention fell from 141/87 to 131/81 (difference −10/6 p &amp;lt; 0.001). Even low doses or small increments: 1 or 2 mg amlodipine or 5 mg to 6 mg, produced meaningful BP responses. Here we report that the addition of amlodipine during the study reduced blood pressure regardless of being amlodipine naive at baseline (n=141), or receiving amlodipine 2.5mg or 5mg at baseline (n=62). The response slopes were comparable, and mean reductions in SBP were consistent across groups: -11.7 (95% CI: -12.9 to -10.6); -9.4 (-11.1 to -7.7); respectively (Figure 1). For the amlodipine naive, the majority (76%) achieved BP control at low doses (&amp;lt;1 to 3mg) with occurrence of side effects increasing with dose (Figure 2). Conclusions Our real-world remote care study demonstrated that very low doses of amlodipine as little as 1 mg were effective and for 1mg-3mg gained BP control in the majority and were associated with fewer side effects which is consistent with previous meta-analyses.2 Personalized treatment titration was effective even at very low doses and also regardless of whether amlodipine naive or not at baseline.Changes in SBP- baseline amlodipine useAmlodipine dose at control vs oedema

Patient reported outcomes, control of hypertension and dyslipidemia: results of two epidemiological studies in Romania, conducted during pandemia (Snapshot-1) and post-pandemic (Snapshot-2)

Abstract Background Coexistence of hypertension and dyslipidemia is commonly found in daily practice. Patient reported outcomes (PRO) are increasingly used to guide clinical decision-making, as well as public reporting of health system performance. Purpose To assess patient reported outcomes (PRO: socio-economic factors, depression level, and treatment adherence) and control of blood pressure (BP) and LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C) during pandemia and in the post-pandemic period. Methods Two real-world, cross-sectional, multicentre, observational studies, with a similar design, were conducted in Romania during pandemia, in June 2021 (SnapShot-1), and post-pandemic, in June 2022 (SnapShot-2). They included 5004 consecutive outpatients diagnosed with both hypertension and dyslipidemia, addressing cardiologists, diabetologists, and general practitioners: 2469 in SnapShot-1 and 2535 in SnapShot-2. Patients completed a three-part questionnaire including: (1) questions on socio-economic factors; (2) Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) (Depression scale); and (3) Hill-Bone Medication Adherence Scale (HBMAS) for hypertension and dyslipidemia. Results Characteristics of patients were similar between studies: 65.0±10.0 years and 40.9% men (SnapShot-1), 63.6±10.7 years and 43.3% men (SnapShot-2). Most of the patients declared themselves as "adherent" to the prescribed treatment: 91.8% (SnapShot-1) and 93.0% (SnapShot-2) adherent to antihypertensive treatment; 89.6% (SnapShot-1) and 90.9% (SnapShot-2) adherent to lipid lowering treatment. Socio-economic factors were similar between studies, except education, with higher education rates in SnapShot-2 (Table 1). Compared to SnapShot-1, depression scores evaluated by PHQ-9 scale were lower in SnapShot-2, conducted post-pandemic: 5.9±4.9 for SnapShot-1, suggesting a "mild" depression level, vs. 4.9±4.6 for SnapShot-2, which is below the "mild" depression threshold. Similarly, the adherence scores measured by HBMAS were lower in SnapShot-1 vs. SnapShot-2: 33.8±3.0 vs. 34.0±2.9 for antihypertensive medication, and 33.5±3.5 vs. 33.7±3.4 for lipid lowering treatment (Table 2). Conclusion Data collected from two large epidemiological studies in Romania showed an improvement of post-pandemic depression rates, as well as an improvement of adherence scores. Use of PRO assessment in routine clinical practice could support identification of patients on risk for uncontrolled BP or LDL-C, in need of more intense medical care.

Effect of COVID-19 pandemic on the management of hypertension and the prevalence of lifestyle disease

Abstract Background/Introduction Behavior restrictions after the advent of COVID-19 dramatically changed our lifestyle, which may have affected self-management of metabolic factors in individuals. Purpose We examined possible changes in the prevalence and management of lifestyle-related diseases in the general population. Methods We enrolled 2582 consecutive participants aged ≥20 years (male=6984, 49.5±11.9 year-old) who visited our hospital for their annual physical check-up at least five times between 2017 and 2022. Participants were divided into 2 groups (with [n=739] or without antihypertensive medication [n=1843]) and changes in parameters that are closely related with lifestyle were examined before (2017-2019) and after (2020-2022) the pandemic of COVID-19. Hypertension was defined as systolic blood pressure ≥140 mmHg, diastolic blood pressure ≥90 mmHg, or the use of antihypertensive medications. Diabetes mellitus was defined as fasting plasma glucose ≥126 mg/dL, HbA1c ≥ 6.5% or the use of antidiabetic medications. Dyslipidemia was defined as LDL-cholesterol ≥140 mg/dL, HDL-cholesterol &amp;lt;40 mg/dL, triglyceride ≥150 mg/dL, or the use of antidyslipidemic medications. Hyperuricemia was defined as uric acid &amp;gt;7.0 mg/dL for men, &amp;gt;6.0 mg/dL for women or the use of anti-hyperuricemic medications. Metabolic syndrome was defined based on Japanese diagnostic criteria (2005). Results The main results are shown in Table. The levels of all parameters were worse in participants with than without anti-hypertensive medication. The prevalence of hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, hyperuricemia and metabolic syndrome which was higher in subjects with than without anti-hypertensive medication increased after the COVID-19 pandemic. Although the most of parameters were deteriorated after the pandemic, only the management of blood pressure in subjects under antihypertensive medication was improved. Conclusion Behavior restrictions during the pandemic might have unfavorable impact on the prevalence of lifestyle-related diseases. Although the control of blood pressure was not worsened, total management was not excellent during the pandemic in hypertensive individuals under medication.Characteristics of study participants

Income level is associated with differences in primary and secondary stroke prevention in China

IntroductionThe aim of this study was to assess differences in the effects of income level on the primary and secondary prevention of stroke in the Chinese population.Material and methodsThis was a population-based study using data from a China Kadoorie Biobank survey that began in 2004 in 10 geographical regions. Community residents (n = 512,715) aged 30–79 years were recruited. Stroke was determined by the self-reporting of a doctor’s diagnosis, and participants with a high risk of stroke were identified using the model developed in the Prediction for ASCVD Risk in China study.ResultsThe final numbers of people included in this study were 8,884 with stroke and 218,972 with a high risk of stroke. The participants’ income level was positively associated with high levels of physical activity and the consumption of a healthy diet, but negatively associated with the control of alcohol consumption (all p &lt; 0.05). In addition, positive associations were observed between the control of smoking and the use of antiplatelet and antihypertensive medication for primary prevention (all p &lt; 0.05), but there was a negative association with the control of blood pressure (p &lt; 0.001).ConclusionsLow-income individuals were less likely to control smoking and their diet and use preventive medications, while high-income individuals were less likely to control their alcohol consumption and blood pressure. Moreover, medication use was low for both primary and secondary prevention in high-income individuals.

Cerebral damage after malignant hypertensive crisis: cerebral MRI follow-up data

Abstract Background Malignant hypertension (MHT) crisis is characterized by acute and diffuse microvascular damages, and the brain is a primary target organ. While a recent MRI study has revealed extensive and frequent cerebral injuries during the acute phase of MHT crisis (1), there is a scarcity of follow-up data. Purpose This study aims to investigate the evolution of MRI markers of cerebral injury following the management of the acute phase of MHT. Methods In this retrospective analysis, we examined brain MRI data from patients admitted for acute MHT between 2008 and 2022 at our center. Eligible patients had at least one follow-up brain MRI available. A skilled operator conducted a comprehensive analysis of each brain MRI, searching for posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES), acute stroke or cerebral hemorrhage and microangiopathy markers, blinded for clinical and demographical data. Results Among 149 patients enrolled, 104 had a brain MRI at inclusion, 47 individuals had at least one follow-up brain MRI and were included in the analysis. 72,3% were male, mean age was 48,2 ± 10.8 years and 45,7% presented blood pressure control at the time of the follow-up brain MRI. Median interval between initial and follow-up brain MRI was 228 (84 – 726) days. Five (10,6%) new recent strokes, 2 (4,3 %) cerebral hemorrhage and 0 PRES were recorded during follow-up. On the follow-up brain MRI, more patients presented chronic lacunar infarct and/or microbleeds, in higher numbers. On the contrary, overall Fazekas score was stable in 31 patients (66,0%), improved in 15 patients (31,9 %) and worsened in 1 patients (2,1%). Comparison of subgroups dichotomized according to blood pressure control or follow up duration showed no difference in brain MRI markers. Conclusion This study offers valuable insights into the risk of new cerebrovascular events and the evolution of brain MRI markers after managing the acute phase of MHT. Our findings emphasize the dynamic nature of cerebral microvascular burden and the potential for regression of white matter hyperintensities. A better understanding of these phenomena might contribute to improved diagnosis, tailored treatment, and proactive patient care in the context of MHT.

Adherence to anti-hypertensive therapy with perindopril-based single-pill versus free-pill combinations: a 10-year real-world analysis in Italy

Abstract Background/Introduction Despite the growing availability of blood pressure-lowering drugs, hypertension remains poorly controlled and a significant mortality cause worldwide. The silent course of the disease, suboptimal adherence, and complexity of therapeutic schedules are important factors in reducing the effectiveness of anti-hypertensive treatments at the population level. With the purpose of simplifying patients’ medication self-management, guidelines have strongly endorsed the use of anti-hypertensive therapy with single-pill combinations (SPCs). Perindopril (PER)-based SPCs, including both two- and three-drug combinations, have been available since 2008. Purpose We explored treatment adherence over 10 years in patients receiving PER-based regimens (SPC or free-pill combination) in Italy. Methods A retrospective real-world analysis was conducted on administrative databases covering 6.7 million Italian health-assisted residents. Among adults with hospitalization discharge diagnosis or exemption code for hypertension between 2010 and 2021, those with PER-based prescriptions were identified, considering combinations with amlodipine (AML) and/or indapamide (IND), either as SPC or free-pill or mixed (SPC+separate pill). The index-date (ID) was that of the first prescription of a PER-based regimen throughout the inclusion period. All patients with at least 12 months of available data before and after the ID were included. A cross-sectional analysis evaluated the yearly adherence for the period 2012-2021, calculating the proportion of days covered (PDC) by drug prescriptions on 1-year follow-up (PDC≥80% indicated high-adherence). Results Over 2012-2021, of 121,397 patients on a PER-based therapy, those treated with SPC ranged from 87% (during 2012) to 94.4% (during 2021), while free-pill and SPC+separate pill cohorts represented, respectively, 10.6-3.5% and 2.4-2.1% of all hypertensive patients. Over the decade, the proportion of adherent patients in SPC users was markedly higher than in free-pill and SPC+separate pill cohorts (Fig. 1). The sudden reduction of adherent patients during 2018-2019 was possibly due to a temporary shortage of PER/AML/IND as SPC in Italy from Nov-2018 to Mar-2019. Multivariate analysis showed that over 2012-2021 decade, free-pill and SPC+separate pill regimens resulted in significantly lower adherence (more than 80% reduction) than SPC formulation, while male gender and older age were predictive of better adherence (Table 1). Conclusions These findings from real clinical practice in Italy highlighted a growing attitude from clinicians to prescribe more manageable anti-hypertensive schemes based on SPC formulations, in line with current guidelines. The higher proportion of adherent patients among the users of PER-based SPCs corroborates the importance of alleviating pill burden, that is a key component in blood pressure control, and so in the reduction of hypertensive complications and cardiovascular risk.

Impact of appendicular skeletal muscle mass on effect of intensive blood pressure control

Abstract Background Appendicular skeletal muscle mass (ASM) is associated with cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and chronic kidney diseases (CKDs). However, whether low ASM affects the efficacy of intensive systolic blood pressure control is currently uncertain. Purpose To examine the impact of low ASM on the effects of intensive SBP control on cardiovascular and kidney outcomes. Methods Data from the Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial (SPRINT) and the Action to Control Cardiovascular Risk in Diabetes Blood Pressure (ACCORD-BP) trials was used. The primary outcome was a composite of myocardial infarction, acute coronary syndrome without myocardial infarction, stroke, heart failure, and cardiovascular death. The prespecified incident CKD was defined as a &amp;gt;30% decrease in estimated glomerular filtration rate to a value &amp;lt;60 mL/min/1.73 m2. Results A total of 14,017 patients were included in this study, 2203 (15.7%) of whom had low ASM. Over a median follow-up of 3.26 years, 1,032 primary outcomes and 460 incident CKD were observed. Patients with low ASM had a significantly higher risk of primary outcome and CKD. Intensive SBP control effects on cardiovascular outcomes were not significantly different on a relative scale or absolute scale. But low ASM significantly amplified the increased risk of CKD associated with intensive SBP control, on an absolute scale (P for interaction = 0.04). Conclusions Low ASM is one of the markers of increased risk of CVD and CKD, and it did not affect the cardiovascular benefits of intensive treatment, but significantly amplified the increased risk of CKD associated with intensive SBP control.

The efficacy and safety of GLP-1 agonists to modify cardiovascular morbidity in patients with obesity without diabetes mellitus: a meta-analysis involving 32,884 patients

Abstract Background While the cardioprotective effects of glucagon-like peptide -1 (GLP-10) agonists are well-documented in diabetic patients, their impact on cardiovascular outcomes in patients with obesity without diabetes mellitus remains debated. Purpose This systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was conducted to investigate the effects of GLP-1 on cardiovascular outcomes in patients with obesity without diabetes mellitus. Methods A systematic review and meta-analysis synthesizing RCTs were retrieved by systematically searching PubMed, Web of Science, SCOPUS, and Cochrane through December 26th, 2023. Dichotomous data were pooled using risk ratio (RR) and continuous data using mean difference (MD) with a 95% confidence interval (CI). Results We included 19 RCTs with a total of 32,884 patients. There was no difference between GLP-1 agonists and placebo regarding cardiovascular mortality (RR: 0.85, 95% CI [0.71- 1.01], P= 0.07). However, GLP-1 agonists significantly decreased the incidence of all-cause mortality (RR 0.83, 95% CI 0.72 to 0.94, p &amp;lt; 0.0001), non-cardiovascular mortality (RR 0.78, 95% CI 0.63 to 0.96, p = 0.02), and myocardial infarction (RR 0.73, 95% CI 0.62 to 0.87, p &amp;lt; 0.0001). Also, GLP-1 agonists significantly increased the incidence of any adverse events (RR 1.11, 95% CI 1.05 to 1.16, p &amp;lt; 0.0001), with no difference regarding the incidence of serious adverse events. Conclusion GLP-1 agonists not only demonstrated substantial benefits in reducing cardiovascular risks, including all-cause mortality and myocardial infarction, but also effectively promoted weight loss and improved lipid profiles and blood pressure control. However, their use is accompanied by a higher incidence of gastrointestinal adverse effects and heterogeneity in outcomes, highlighting the need for individualized treatment approaches.

A higher adherence to perindopril-based anti-hypertensive therapy is associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular outcomes and all-cause mortality in real clinical practice in Italy

Abstract Background Therapeutic management of hypertension is a landmark of cardiovascular (CV) risk prevention. Combined therapies with at least 2 anti-hypertensive agents are required in many patients in whom monotherapy and lifestyle interventions failed in blood pressure control. It is well-known that poor medication adherence remains a major barrier to achieving the therapeutic targets for all CV drugs, including anti-hypertensives. Purpose We evaluated the relationship between adherence to perindopril (PER)-based therapeutic regimen prescribed as single-pill combination (SPC) or free-pill and CV outcomes and all-cause mortality in a large Italian population. Methods A retrospective analysis was performed using administrative databases corresponding to around 6.7 million health-assisted residents. Hypertensive adults were first identified through hospitalization discharge diagnosis or exemption codes for hypertension between 2010 and 2021. Patients prescribed PER-based therapies were screened for all combinations of PER with amlodipine (AML) and/or indapamide (IND) (all formulations, single-pill or free-pill). Time of the first prescription of a PER-based regimen during the inclusion period was considered the index-date. The analysis included all hypertensive subjects prescribed a PER-based therapy, having available data at least 12 months before and 24 months after the index-date, respectively. Since the analysis was focused on the possible associations between adherence level and CV outcomes and all-cause mortality, adherence was assessed during the first year of follow-up on alive patients and outcomes were assessed during the second year. Adherence was assessed using the proportion of days covered (PDC) approach on 1-year follow-up, and considering a PDC&amp;lt;80% as poor-to-moderate adherence, and PDC ≥80% as good adherence. The Cox’s proportional hazard model was applied to estimate Hazard Ratio (HR) adjusting for baseline covariates, including comorbidity profile and pill burden. Results The included cohort (N=24,476) was divided into sub-groups according to adherence in poor-to-moderate (N=6,781) and good adherent patients (N=17,695) with a mean age of 64.8±13.3 and 64.6±11.9 years old, respectively. The Cox’s proportional hazard model showed that good adherence was associated with a relative risk reduction of 23% in all-cause mortality (Table 1A), 21% in all CV events (Table 1B), 17% in ischemic heart disease (Table 1C), 33% in cerebrovascular events (Table 1E), and 22% in the composite outcome of CV events/all-cause mortality (Table 1G). Conclusions The present analysis provided evidence from the Italian real clinical practice that good adherence to PER-based anti-hypertensive therapy results in significantly lower cardiovascular risk and all-cause mortality. These data further emphasize the importance of promoting cost-effective measures to increase medication adherence in patients on anti-hypertensive treatment.