Effects of Carotid Stenting on Nocturnal Nondipping Phenomenon

Erkan Köklü1, İsa Öner Yüksel1, Şakir Arslan1

  • 1Clinic of Cardiology, Antalya Education and Research Hospital, Antalya, Turkey.

Insights

Carotid artery stent (CAS) procedures can help hypertensive patients with a nondipper blood pressure pattern transition to a dipper pattern, potentially improving cardiovascular protection.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Vascular Surgery
  • Hypertension Management

Background:

  • Nondipper blood pressure (BP) pattern is a known risk factor for cardiovascular events in hypertensive individuals.
  • The impact of carotid artery stent (CAS) procedures on BP patterns, specifically the nondipper to dipper transition, requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the effect of CAS procedures on the prevalence of nondipper BP patterns in hypertensive patients.
  • To determine if CAS procedures can convert nondipper BP patterns to dipper BP patterns over a 1-year follow-up period.

Main Methods:

  • 152 hypertensive patients undergoing CAS procedures were monitored using ambulatory BP monitoring (ABPM).
  • BP measurements were taken 1 day before, 1 day after, and 1 year after the CAS procedure.
  • Patients' BP patterns were classified as dipper or nondipper, and changes were analyzed.

Main Results:

  • Before CAS, 80.3% of patients exhibited a nondipper BP pattern.
  • One year post-CAS, 51% of previous nondippers converted to a dipper pattern, while 29% remained nondippers.
  • The overall prevalence of nondipper BP patterns significantly decreased from 80.3% to 40.8% after the CAS procedure (P < .01).

Conclusions:

  • CAS procedures are associated with a significant transformation of nondipper BP patterns to dipper BP patterns within a 1-year follow-up.
  • This BP pattern normalization may contribute to the long-term cardiovascular protective effects observed after CAS procedures.
Abstract