title: Age is an Independent Risk Factor for the Early Morning Blood Pressure Surge in Patients Never-Treated for Hypertension.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The early morning blood pressure surge (EMBPS) has been reported to be associated with cardiovascular events. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between 24-hour ambulatory BP monitoring (ABPM) parameters and conventional cardiovascular risk factors.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients (n=346) never-treated for essential hypertension with no other cardiovascular risk factors, such as diabetes, dyslipidemia, and nephropathy were enrolled. The EMBPS was defined as the early morning systolic BP minus the lowest night systolic BP. We compared the 24-hour ABPM parameters in two groups divided by age (<60 and >/=60 years) and examined the association between the 24-hour ABPM parameters and cardiovascular risk factor.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The EMBPS (18+/-14 vs. 24+/-14 mmHg, p=0.002), 24-hour mean blood pressure {MBP; 102+/-9 vs. 105+/-11 mmHg, p=0.044}, and 24-hour mean pulse pressure (PP; 52+/-10 vs. 58+/-11 mmHg, p<0.001) were significantly increased in the elderly subjects compared to the younger subjects. The degree of decrease was less in the elderly subjects (10+/-8 vs. 7+/-10%, p=0.002). Based on multivariate analysis, age was an independent risk factor for the highest quartile of EMBPS (>28 mmHg) after adjusting for gender differences, body mass index, and various 24-hour ABPM parameters (odds ratio, 1.051; 95% confidence interval, 1.028-1.075; p<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Age is an independent risk factor for EMBPS in patients with never-treated hypertension. BP control in the early morning period is more important in elderly patients so as to prevent cardiovascular events.
authors: Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
authors: Dong-Hyeon
authors: DH
authors: Lee
authors: Sang-Hyun
authors: SH
authors: Ihm
authors: Ho-Joong
authors: HJ
authors: Youn
authors: Yun-Seok
authors: YS
authors: Choi
authors: Chan-Seok
authors: CS
authors: Park
authors: Chul-Soo
authors: CS
authors: Park
authors: Jong-Min
authors: JM
authors: Lee
authors: Hee-Youl
authors: HY
authors: Kim
authors: Yong-Seog
authors: YS
authors: Oh
authors: Wook-Sung
authors: WS
authors: Chung
authors: Ki-Bae
authors: KB
authors: Seung
authors: Jae-Hyung
authors: JH
authors: Kim