Coronary flow reserve is preserved in white-coat hypertension

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Hypertension Research
• Echocardiography

Background:

• White-coat hypertension (WCH) is characterized by elevated blood pressure in clinical settings but normal readings outside.
• The impact of WCH on cardiovascular health, particularly coronary microvascular function, remains incompletely understood.
• Coronary flow reserve (CFR) is a key indicator of myocardial perfusion and microvascular health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the potential influence of white-coat hypertension (WCH) on coronary flow reserve (CFR).
• To compare CFR in patients with WCH, sustained hypertension, and healthy controls.

Main Methods:

• Coronary flow reserve (CFR) was assessed using transthoracic second harmonic Doppler echocardiography.
• The study included three groups: 29 patients with WCH, 32 with sustained hypertension, and 35 healthy volunteers.
• Data analysis compared CFR values across the three participant groups.

Main Results:

• Coronary flow reserve (CFR) was significantly lower in patients with sustained hypertension compared to both WCH and control groups.
• No significant difference in CFR was observed between patients with WCH and healthy control subjects.
• Mean CFR values were 2.40 (SD 0.54) for sustained hypertension, 2.77 (0.41) for WCH, and 2.83 (0.60) for controls.

Conclusions:

• Coronary flow reserve (CFR) is preserved in individuals diagnosed with white-coat hypertension (WCH).
• WCH does not appear to be associated with impaired coronary microvascular function.
• These findings suggest that WCH may represent a distinct pathophysiological entity compared to sustained hypertension regarding cardiac hemodynamics.