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Increased pulse pressure is associated with reduced baroreflex sensitivity

Journal of Human Hypertension volume 18, pages 247–252 (2004)Cite this article

Abstract

Although pulse pressure (PP), heart rate variability (HRV) and baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) have been shown to predict cardiovascular events and mortality in various populations, their relationships have not been clarified. We examined these associations in two separate population-based samples of healthy middle-aged subjects. In population 1, data were obtained from 149 subjects (71 men and 78 women) aged 35–64 (mean 47.7) years, and in population 2, from 214 subjects (88 men and 126 women) aged 40–62 (mean 50.5) years. Increased 24-h ambulatory PP was related to decreased cross-spectral BRS independent of age and gender (β=−0.28, P<0.001 for population 1; β=−0.22, P=0.003 for population 2). This association remained significant when 24-h ambulatory diastolic blood pressure, body mass index, smoking and alcohol intake were added as covariates in the multivariate analysis. Increased ambulatory PP was also associated with increased beat-to-beat systolic arterial pressure variability. Associations between ambulatory PP and HRV were not significant after controlling for age and gender. Our results suggest that elevated PP does not affect overall HRV, but it interferes with baroreflex-mediated control of the heart rate. This association may be due to a common denominator, such as arterial stiffness, for PP and BRS.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland

    R Virtanen, L-M Voipio-Pulkki & J Airaksinen

  2. Research Department of the Social Insurance Institution, Turku, Finland

    A Jula

  3. Department of Medicine, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland

    H Huikuri, H Kauma & Y A Kesäniemi

  4. Department of Physics, University of Turku, Turku, Finland

    T Kuusela

  5. Department of Biostatistics, University of Turku, Turku, Finland

    H Helenius

  6. Division of Cardiology, Satakunta Central Hospital, Pori, Finland

    A Ylitalo

  7. Department of Medicine, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland

    L-M Voipio-Pulkki

  8. Biocenter Oulu, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland

    H Kauma & Y A Kesäniemi

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  1. R Virtanen
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  2. A Jula
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  4. T Kuusela
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  7. L-M Voipio-Pulkki
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Correspondence to R Virtanen.

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Virtanen, R., Jula, A., Huikuri, H. et al. Increased pulse pressure is associated with reduced baroreflex sensitivity. J Hum Hypertens 18, 247–252 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.jhh.1001661

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.jhh.1001661

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