Severity of human hypertension in relation to the age in which high blood pressure makes its presumptive appearance.
OBJECTIVE
The present study investigates the properties of blood pressure (BP) circadian rhythm (CR) in newly-diagnosed hypertensives (NDH) as a function of the chronological age in which hypertension became manifest.


METHODS
The study was performed on 141 NDH (71 males and 70 females, ranging in age from 24 year to 79 years), who were monitored in their 24-h BP via a non-invasive, ambulatory, automated recorder. The relation between the properties of BP CR and the age of the development of hypertension was investigated via the Clinospectror method, a trend analysis (periodic-linear regression method) for rhythmic biophenomena.


RESULTS
A trend was detected for each one of the three properties of BP CR in relation with the age in which high BP made its appearance. As a matter of fact, the daily mean level (mesor) of BP CR was seen to be progressively less pronounced. The amplitude was found to show a progressive increment of its extent. The acrophase was seen to show a progressive antemeridian rotation of its timing.


CONCLUSIONS
These trends suggest that hypertension tends to be less severe when its development occurs in subjects older in age. Such a less pronounced severity is, however, accompanied by a more pronounced oscillation of BP values during the 24-h of the day. Such a higher circadian variability, in turn, tends to show its highest expression during the morning hours of the day.
Cugini
P
P
Department of Clinical Sciences, University of Rome La Sapienza, 00161 Rome, Italy.
Ferrari
P
P
De Rosa
R
R
Caliumi
C
C
Delfini
E
E
Colotto
M
M
Fontana
S
S
Mandolini
C
C
Manetti
L
L
Letizia
C
C
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology; D018660:Blood Pressure Monitoring, Ambulatory; D002909:Chronobiology Phenomena; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D003971:Diastole / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013599:Systole / Q000502:physiology