Blood Pressure Variability Is Associated with Adverse Cardiovascular Outcomes

Most studies of blood pressure (BP) as a cardiovascular (CV) risk factor have used mean BP, but evidence suggests that BP variability, independent of mean BP, might also be important (NEJM JW Gen Med Sep 15 2015 and Ann Intern Med 2015; 163:329). In this meta-analysis of 19 prospective cohort studies and 17 clinical trials, researchers evaluated associations between adverse CV events and BP variability in the long term (measured at ≥5 clinic visits), midterm (measured at home ≥12 times on ≥3 days), and short term (measured by ambulatory monitoring for ≤24 hours, with ≥14 daytime readings). Studies that did not adjust for mean BP were excluded.

In studies with low risk for bias, long-term systolic BP variability was associated significantly w…