Changes in self-monitored pulse pressure correlate with improvements in B-type natriuretic Peptide and urinary albumin in treated hypertensive patients

Abstract

Background: Pulse pressure (PP) is an independent marker of cardiovascular risk, even in treated hypertensive subjects, but is often little changed by antihypertensive treatment. We assessed the hypothesis that changes in PP during antihypertensive therapy correlate with changes in surrogate markers of target-organ damage.

Methods: We studied 540 treated hypertensive subjects whose home systolic blood pressure (SBP) was >/=135 mm Hg. They were followed for 6 months after allocation to either a control group or an added treatment group (doxazosin, 1 to 4 mg plus beta-blocker when needed). The changes in PP and various blood pressure (BP) measures, including mean BP (MP), SBP, and diastolic BP (DBP) during follow-up, were related to changes in plasma B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) and the urine albumin-creatinine ratio (UAR).

Results: Although self-measured MP was significantly lowered in the added treatment group, PP was not changed overall, although some patients showed a decrease, and others showed an increase. In multivariable analyses, changes in both clinic and home PP were positively associated with changes in log BNP, such that increases in clinic and home PP were paralleled by corresponding increases in BNP. However, no such corresponding relationships were observed when home PP decreased. The change in home PP, but not clinic PP, was positively and linearly associated with the change in UAR.

Conclusions: Changes in PP during antihypertensive treatment are important because PP may increase in some patients, in whom there are adverse changes in surrogate markers of target-organ damage. These changes of PP are best evaluated by home monitoring.