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The vascular health status of a population of adult Canadian Indigenous peoples from British Columbia

Journal of Human Hypertension volume 30, pages 278–284 (2016)Cite this article

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Abstract

Indigenous populations currently experience greater cardiovascular disease burdens. However, subclinical vascular structure and function among these populations is not well known. This investigation evaluated vascular structure and function among Canadian Indigenous populations. Blood pressure, body composition, pulse-wave velocity (PWV), baroreceptor sensitivity (BRS), arterial compliance and intima-media thickness (IMT) were measured. Vascular measures were evaluated across sexes and age groups. Vascular assessments were conducted among 55 Indigenous adults (38±18 years, 29 Female), including both First Nations (N=36) and Métis (N=19) individuals. Some differences in vascular measures were found between males and females, respectively (spectral BRS: 9.6±6.8 ms mm Hg−1 vs 16.9±10.0 ms mm Hg−1, P=0.01; small arterial compliance: 8.9±3.7 ml mm Hg−1 × 100 vs 6.4±2.3 ml mm Hg−1 × 100, P=0.004), with similar measures of overall IMT (0.61±0.14 mm vs 0.57±0.08 mm, P=0.19) and central PWV (5.7±2.5 m s−1 vs 5.1±2.3 m s−1, P=0.58). Greater IMT, and lower BRS and arterial compliance were identified among older adults. This relatively healthy population demonstrated healthy vascular measures, with poorer measures among older individuals.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Physical Activity Support Line, the Canada Foundation for Innovation, the BC Knowledge Development Fund, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research (MSFHR), and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC). DERW was supported by a CIHR New Investigator Award, and a MSFHR Clinical Scholar Award. DERW was the recipient of the 2012 CIHR/Canadian Medical Association Journal Top Achievement in Health Research Award. HJAF was supported by grants from the National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation, Indspire, the Foundation for the Advancement of Aboriginal Youth, the University of British Columbia, NSERC and CIHR.

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  1. H J A Foulds

    Present address: 4Current Address: College of Kinesiology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada,

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cardiovascular Physiology and Rehabilitation Laboratory, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

    H J A Foulds & D E R Warburton

  2. Experimental Medicine Program, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

    H J A Foulds & D E R Warburton

  3. Physical Activity Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention Unit, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

    H J A Foulds, S S D Bredin & D E R Warburton

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  1. H J A Foulds
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Correspondence to D E R Warburton.

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Foulds, H., Bredin, S. & Warburton, D. The vascular health status of a population of adult Canadian Indigenous peoples from British Columbia. J Hum Hypertens 30, 278–284 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1038/jhh.2015.51

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