title: Relation of extent of nocturnal blood pressure decrease to cardiovascular remodeling in never-treated patients with essential hypertension.
abstract: The clinical significance of the extent of a decrease in nocturnal blood pressure (BP) and the resulting classification of hypertensives as "dipper" (decrease in BP >10% day BP) or "nondipper" (decrease in BP <10% day BP) has been questioned recently. The aim of our study was to evaluate if the extent of a nocturnal BP decrease, established on the basis of a single 24-hour BP monitoring, is related to cardiovascular remodeling in essential hypertension. We enrolled 253 never-treated essential hypertensives (24-hour BP > or = 140 and/or 90 mm Hg); for each patient we recorded 24-hour BP, left ventricular (LV) echocardiogram, Doppler transmitral flow velocities, and carotid-femoral pulse-wave velocities. A dipper BP profile was found in 161 patients, whereas 92 patients were nondippers. The 2 groups did not differ with regard to age, gender, body mass index, 24-hour and daytime BP, and 24-hour, daytime, and nighttime heart rate. All LV morphologic characteristics LV systolic and diastolic functional parameters, mitral Doppler-derived diastolic indexes, as well as carotid-femoral pulse-wave velocity, and aortic index distensibility were not significantly different between dippers and nondippers. The prevalence of LV hypertrophy and diastolic dysfunction was also similar between the 2 groups. The extent of a decrease in nocturnal BP did not correlate with any cardiovascular parameter. In conclusion, in never-treated hypertensives, the extent of a nocturnal BP decrease is not related to LV morpho-functional characteristics and aortic distensibility; therefore, the nondipping status established on the basis of a single 24-hour BP monitoring does not identify hypertensive patients with greater cardiovascular damage.
authors: Internal Medicine, Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, University of Insubria, Varese, Italy. amgrandi@libero.it
authors: Anna M
authors: AM
authors: Grandi
authors: Roberta
authors: R
authors: Broggi
authors: Alessandro
authors: A
authors: Jessula
authors: Emanuela
authors: E
authors: Laurita
authors: Elena
authors: E
authors: Cassinerio
authors: Francesca
authors: F
authors: Piperno
authors: Andrea
authors: A
authors: Bertolini
authors: Luigina
authors: L
authors: Guasti
authors: Achille
authors: A
authors: Venco
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000502:physiology; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D018660:Blood Pressure Monitoring, Ambulatory; D002319:Cardiovascular System / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000502:physiology; D004452:Echocardiography; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D013318:Stroke Volume / Q000502:physiology; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology