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Cardiovagal modulation, oxidative stress, and cardiovascular risk factors in prehypertensive subjects:

Ramkumar Thiyagarajan1, Pravati Pal, Gopal Krushna Pal

  • 1Department of Physiology, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education & Research, Puducherry, India.

American Journal of Hypertension
|March 8, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Prehypertension in young adults is linked to higher oxidative stress and reduced cardiovagal modulation, indicating increased cardiovascular disease risk. These risks in young adults mirror those in middle-aged individuals.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Preventive Medicine
  • Physiology

Background:

  • Hypertension is a modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD), linked to oxidative stress and reduced cardiovagal modulation.
  • Prehypertension, similar to hypertension, increases the risk of adverse cardiovascular events.
  • Understanding the interplay of prehypertension, cardiovagal modulation, oxidative stress, and cardiovascular risk factors is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between prehypertension, cardiovagal modulation, and oxidative stress.
  • To identify associated cardiovascular risk factors in prehypertensive individuals.
  • To compare these associations across different age groups.

Main Methods:

  • Recruited 178 subjects, categorized into prehypertensive (n=97) and normotensive (n=81) groups.
  • Subdivided participants into young (20-39 years) and middle-aged (40-60 years) adults.
  • Measured physiological parameters, heart rate variability, oxidative stress markers (TBARS, TAC), and cardiovascular risk factors.

Main Results:

  • Prehypertensive subjects exhibited significantly increased oxidative stress in both age groups.
  • Cardiovagal modulation (RMSSD) decreased significantly in young prehypertensive subjects compared to normotensive controls.
  • Total antioxidant capacity (TAC) correlated significantly with RMSSD and mean arterial pressure (MAP), even after adjusting for cardiovascular risk factors.

Conclusions:

  • Prehypertension in young adults is associated with elevated oxidative stress and altered cardiovagal modulation.
  • Cardiovascular disease risk factors in prehypertensive young adults are comparable to those in middle-aged adults.
  • Early identification and management of prehypertension are vital for preventing future cardiovascular events.
Abstract

Keywords:
blood pressurecardiovascular risk factorsheart rate variabilityhypertensionoxidative stressprehypertension

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