[Pulse pressure as a marker of cardiovascular risk among the elderly].
OBJECTIVE
To verify the clinical significance and the prognostic value of taking the pulse in the general elderly population.


METHODS
Transversal descriptive study between June and October 2000 within primary care.Participants. A simple randomised sample of 415 people was obtained from the population aged 60 or over (n=8,026) from sixteen lists of six health centres in Asturias.


METHODS
Demographic variables and cardiovascular risk factors were analysed and the presence of associated cardiovascular pathology was investigated. The analysis divided blood pressure at the pulse into terciles.


RESULTS
338 people (18.5% losses), with an average age of 73+/-7, 64% of whom were women, were included. The SP and DP means were 140+/-18 and 80+/-8 mm Hg, respectively. The pulse pressure terciles were: tercile 1, (3/4)51 mm Hg, tercile 2, 52-65 mm Hg and tercile 3, >=66 mm Hg. Those in tercile 3 were older than those in tercile 1 (P<.001) and had higher SP figures (P<.001). Tercile 3 was linked to greater prevalence of Hypertension, isolated systolic hypertension and worse control of hypertension; and also to greater prevalence of ischaemic cardiopathy (P=.018) and of overall cardiovascular pathology (P=.005). After logistical regression analysis, pulse pressure persisted as an independent variable (P=.017).


CONCLUSIONS
Among the elderly as a whole, blood pressure at the pulse is an independent marker of cardiovascular risk.
Villa Estébanez
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R
Centro de Salud de El Cristo. Oviedo. Spain.
Tranche Iparraguirre
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S
Marín Iranzo
R
R
Prieto Díaz
M A
MA
Hevia Rodríguez
E
E
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D011674:Pulse; D012307:Risk Factors