Age dynamics of blood pressure in various vascular basins among healthy people and patients with arterial hypertension

Abstract

Aim. To study blood pressure (BP) levels in various vascular basins, as well as to investigate the role of aorta and large artery elasticity (stiffness) in arterial hypertension (AH) development.Material and methods. In total, 447 normotensive people and 855 AH patients aged 17-90 years were examined. BP in upper and lower extremity basins and arterial stiffness for elastic and muscular type vessels were measured by volume sphygmography method (VaSera-1000, «Fukuda Denshi», Japan). In 218 participants, pulse wave (PW) contour analysis and central BP measurement were performed by applanation tonometry method (SphygmoCor, «AtCor Medical», Australia).Results. Age BP dynamics for upper and lower extremity basins was similar in normotensives and AH patients. In calf arteries, comparing to brachial artery (BA), BP was more dependent on aorta and large artery stiffness, reflecting damping function of the latter. In BA, BP was more dependent on reflected waves (pressure augmentation) and PW amplification. Measuring lower extremity BP gives a chance to diagnose aorta stiffness-related AH earlier than traditional В A measurement of В P. The latter diagnoses AH only when elastic vessel stiffness increases enough.Conclusion. Measuring BP in upper and lower extremity basins improves AH diagnostics and arteriosclerosis stage assessment.

Keywords

• arterial hypertension
• blood pressure
• age
• aorta stiffness
• pulse wave
• volume sphygmography