Home blood pressure on winter mornings could be exaggerated: A comparison with summer mornings

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Hypertension Management
• Environmental Health

Background:

• Self-measured blood pressure at home (HBP) is crucial for managing hypertension.
• Seasonal variations in blood pressure are recognized, but the impact of ambient temperature on HBP measurement timing requires further investigation.
• Understanding how HBP differs based on measurement timing and season is vital for accurate hypertension assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate seasonal differences in HBP measured in bed after waking versus after getting up.
• To determine if cold ambient temperatures in winter elevate HBP measured according to guidelines.
• To compare HBP readings taken before and after rising in winter and summer.

Main Methods:

• 46 hypertensive patients with stable blood pressure measurements were enrolled.
• Participants measured HBP in bed after waking (HBP-bed) and in the morning after rising (HBP-morning) for 7 consecutive days.
• Seasonal characteristics of HBP were analyzed for winter and summer.

Main Results:

• HBP-morning was significantly higher in winter than summer (P < .001).
• HBP-bed was lower in winter than summer (P < .05).
• The increase in HBP after getting up was significantly greater in winter than summer (P < .0001) and correlated with serum creatinine and urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio.

Conclusions:

• Elevated HBP-morning in winter reflects a blood pressure response to cold exposure after rising.
• Seasonal patterns of HBP before and after rising should be considered in hypertension management.
• These findings emphasize the importance of standardized HBP measurement protocols considering environmental factors.