Non-invasive Systemic Hemodynamic Index in Vascular Risk Stratification Tailored for Hypertensives

Vascular dysfunction is a key hallmark of hypertension and related cardiovascular outcomes. As a well-known hemodynamic disease, hypertension is characterized by abnormal ventricular-vascular interactions. Complementing non-invasive systemic hemodynamics in hypertensive vascular risk assessment is of promising significance. We aimed to investigate the effects of abnormal hemodynamic states other than elevated blood pressure on vascular damage and establish a united index of systemic hemodynamics for generalized vascular risk evaluation. Non-invasive systemic hemodynamics, assessed by impedance cardiography, was compared among blood pressure stages. Vascular function was evaluated by flow-mediated dilation (FMD) and brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV). Systemic hemodynamics was obtained from a total of 88 enrollees with a mean (±SD) systolic blood pressure 140 (±17) mm Hg, and aged 17 to 91 years. Both stroke systemic vascular resistance index and left stroke work index exhibited a significant alteration among blood pressure stages (p < 0.001; p = 0.01, respectively), whereas heterogeneous hemodynamic and vascular function subsets existed within similar blood pressure. In addition, blood pressure categories failed to recognize between-group differences in endothelial dysfunction (p = 0.88) and arterial stiffness (p = 0.26). An increase in myocardial contractility and a parallel decrease in afterload was associated with the decline of vascular dysfunction. Systemic Hemodynamic Index (SHI), as a surrogate marker, demonstrated a significantly negative correlation with vascular damage index (VDI, r = -0.49, p < 0.001). These findings illustrate that systemic hemodynamics underlying hypertensives provides more vascular information. The SHI/VDI score may be a feasible tool for cardiovascular function assessment.