Article

American Journal of Hypertension (2008); 21, 11, 1224–1230. doi:10.1038/ajh.2008.268

Pulse Pressure and Adverse Outcomes in Women: A Report From the Women's Ischemia Syndrome Evaluation (WISE)

R. David Anderson1, B. Clay Sizemore1, Genevieve M. Barrow2, B. Delia Johnson2, C. Noel Bairey Merz3, George Sopko4, Gregory O. von Mering1, Eileen M. Handberg1, Wilmer W. Nichols1 and Carl J. Pepine1

  1. 1Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, Florida, USA
  2. 2Department of Medical and Clinical Psychology, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
  3. 3Preventive and Rehabilitative Cardiac Center at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, USA
  4. 4National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA

Correspondence: Carl J. Pepine, (pepincj@medicine.ufl.edu)

Received 28 March 2008; First Decision 3 May 2008; Accepted 31 July 2008; Published online 18 September 2008.

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Abstract

Background

 

Recent data suggest that brachial pulse pressure (PP) may be a better predictor of outcome than systolic or diastolic blood pressure (SBP/DBP). We sought to investigate the relative contributions of these indices to risk for adverse outcomes in women with suspected coronary artery disease (CAD) and myocardial ischemia.

Methods

 

Among 857 women referred for angiography for suspected myocardial ischemia, baseline evaluations were performed, and the women were followed for clinical outcome. Relationships between baseline characteristics, blood pressure components, and outcomes were evaluated. Separate multivariate stepwise Cox regression models for PP and SBP (expressed in 10 mm Hg increments) were constructed and included covariates significantly associated with adverse outcomes.

Results

 

After 5.2 years (mean), univariate testing identified higher PP associated with higher risk for cardiovascular (CV) mortality and adverse CV outcomes than SBP, DBP, or mean arterial pressure (MAP). Multivariate modeling identified both PP and SBP associated with adverse CV outcomes, but only PP was significantly associated with higher CV mortality. When both PP and SBP were included in the model, only PP remained an independent predictor of adverse outcomes for CV events.

Conclusions

 

In women with suspected CAD and myocardial ischemia, PP is a stronger predictor of adverse outcomes than SBP, DBP, or MAP with an 18% excess mortality risk for every 10 mm Hg increase in PP. Further investigations into pathophysiologic mechanisms and specific pharmacologic approaches to modifying this novel target are warranted.

American Journal of Hypertension (2008). doi:10.1038/ajh.2008.268

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