Outpatient Blood Pressure Variability Is Associated with Adverse Cardiovascular Outcomes

In a large trial, patients with greater visit-to-visit BP variability had more adverse CV events.

Historically, clinicians have paid little attention to blood pressure (BP) variability. But does visit-to-visit BP variability affect cardiovascular (CV) risk and CV-related or all-cause mortality? Using data from the randomized ALLHAT comparison of antihypertensive medications (NEJM JW Gen Med Feb 1 2003 and JAMA 2002; 288:2981), researchers examined the association between visit-to-visit variability of systolic BP and CV outcomes and mortality in >25,000 patients. Visit-to-visit variability of systolic BP was calculated for each patient using standard deviation across systolic BP measurements taken at seven follow-up visits during 28 months after randomization. Patients were followed thereafter for a mean of 2.8 years.

After adjustment for…

Reviewing Author

Jamaluddin Moloo, MD, MPH

Disclosures

Grant / Research supportColorado Health Foundation

Jamaluddin Moloo, MD, MPH

Disclosures

Grant / Research supportColorado Health Foundation

Outpatient Blood Pressure Variability Is Associated with Adverse Cardiovascular Outcomes

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Reviewing Author