[Pulse pressure and prevalence of stroke and myocardial infarction in Chinese population].
OBJECTIVE
To explore the characteristics of distribution of pulse pressure (PP) in Chinese population and its relationship to major cardiovascular diseases in them.


METHODS
Data from the Third National Blood Pressure Survey involved 882,681 subjects aged over 18 in 1991 were reanalysed for the relationship between PP and risks of major cardiovascular diseases, with t-test, chi2 test and logistic regression model. PP is defined as the difference between systolic and diastolic blood pressure.


RESULTS
(1) Overall mean PP was (44.61 +/- 13.59) mm Hg for the subjects aged over 18, higher in men [(44.92 +/- 12.72) mmHg] than that in women [(44.34 +/- 14.32) mmHg]. PP increased progressively with age, and its increase accelerated significantly at age over 50 but higher in women than in men. Proportion of the subjects with PP equal to or greater than 60 mmHg was more in those aged 60 or over than that in younger ones. (2) Prevalence of stroke and myocardial infarction (MI) increased with PP and age, whether in the normotensives, or in the hypertensives or in the isolated systolic hypertensives. (3) Results of multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that risks of stroke in the subjects with PP of (45-59) mmHg, (60-74) mmHg and over 75 mmHg were 1.9, 3.5 and 5 times as in those with PP less than 45 mm Hg, respectively, adjusted for other risk factors, and their risks of myocardial infarction (MI) were 1.2, 1.5 and 1.7 times, respectively. Furthermore, PP was significantly and independently related to the risks of stroke and MI, even adjusted for systolic and diastolic pressures.


CONCLUSIONS
Prevalence of stroke and MI increased with the breadth of PP and age. Broader PP may be an important and independent predictor of risks of stroke and MI, especially in the aged people.
Department of Population Genetics and Prevention, Fuwai Hospital and Cardiovascular Disease Institute of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100037, China.
Xiu-Fang
XF
Duan
Xi-Gui
XG
Wu
Dong-Feng
DF
Gu
Guang-Yong
GY
Huang
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001794:Blood Pressure; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D020521:Stroke / Q000453:epidemiology*