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Blood pressure variability is significantly associated with ECG left ventricular mass in normotensive Africans: the

Aletta E Schutte1, Rudolph Schutte, Hugo W Huisman

  • 1School for Physiology, Nutrition and Consumer Sciences, Hypertension in Africa Research Team (HART), North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa. Alta.Schutte@nwu.ac.za

Hypertension Research : Official Journal of the Japanese Society of Hypertension
|July 29, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Blood pressure variability may help detect early cardiovascular issues in Black South Africans. This study compared blood pressure (BP) variability and organ damage markers in Black and White South Africans.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Hypertension Research
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Blood pressure (BP) variability is gaining attention as a prognostic marker.
  • Black South Africans face a high risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), necessitating early detection markers.
  • Sub-clinical organ damage is a key indicator of future cardiovascular events.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare 24-hour BP variability with traditional and advanced BP measurements.
  • To assess the association between BP variability and sub-clinical organ damage in Black and White South Africans.
  • To identify potential early markers for cardiovascular dysfunction in at-risk populations.

Main Methods:

  • Inclusion of 409 African and Caucasian teachers aged 25-60 years.
  • Measurement of office BP, continuous finger BP, ambulatory BP, and BP reactivity.
  • Determination of weighted 24-hour BP variability and assessment of organ damage via albumin-to-creatinine ratio, Cornell product, and carotid cross-sectional wall area (CSWA).

Main Results:

  • Africans exhibited higher 24-hour BP, BP variability, BP reactivity, and sub-clinical organ damage compared to Caucasians (P<0.001).
  • Correlations between BP variability and organ damage were generally weaker than those with other BP measurements.
  • An independent association between 24-hour systolic BP (SBP) variability and Cornell product was found in normotensive Africans (r=0.37; P=0.01).
  • A significant correlation between CSWA and 24-hour SBP variability was observed in hypertensive Caucasians (r=0.30; P=0.01).

Conclusions:

  • 24-hour SBP variability may serve as an effective tool for early detection of cardiovascular risk in normotensive Black South Africans.
  • The association of 24-hour SBP variability with target organ damage appears less significant in hypertensive individuals compared to traditional BP measurements.

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