title: Positive effects of antihypertensive treatment on aortic stiffness in the general population.
abstract: Aortic stiffness is strongly related to age and mean arterial pressure (MAP). In the present analysis, we investigated whether antihypertensive treatment modulates the association of the aortic pulse wave velocity (PWV) with age and with MAP in the general population. In the Czech post-MONICA cross-sectional study, we measured the PWV in 735 subjects (mean age 61.2±7.8 years, 54.1% women, 44.3% on antihypertensive medication). We used a linear regression model to assess the effect of treatment on the PWV. The independent covariates in our analysis included sex, age, MAP, heart rate, body mass index, plasma glucose, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, smoking and observer. The patients receiving treatment were older (64.1±6.7 vs. 58.9±7.8 years), had higher systolic blood pressure (135.9±16.2 vs. 130.1±16.5 mm Hg) and had higher pulse wave velocity (9.1±2.2 vs. 8.2±2.1 m s(-1); P for all <0.0001) than untreated subjects. After adjustment for MAP, the use of treatment modified the association between age and the PWV (regression equations, treated patients 9.68-0.009 × age vs. untreated subjects 6.98+0.020 × age, difference of regression slopes, F=11.2; P=0.0009). In analyses adjusted for age, treatment was associated with a smaller increase of the PWV with MAP (treated patients 9.63-0.006 × MAP vs. untreated subjects 7.18+0.010 × MAP, F=10.70; P=0.0001). These results were driven primarily by subjects whose blood pressure was below 140/90 mm Hg. In the cross-sectional analysis from a random sample of the general population, antihypertensive treatment was associated with a less steep increase in the PWV with age and the mean arterial pressure. Further longitudinal studies are needed to confirm this finding.
authors.affiliation: 1] Department of Internal Medicine II, Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic [2] Biomedical Centre, Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Jitka
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Seidlerová
authors.affiliation: 1] Department of Internal Medicine II, Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic [2] Biomedical Centre, Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Filipovský
authors.affiliation: 1] Department of Internal Medicine II, Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic [2] Biomedical Centre, Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Otto
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Mayer
authors.affiliation: 1] Centre for Cardiovascular Prevention, First Faculty of Medicine and Thomayer Hospital, Charles University in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic [2] Department of Preventive Cardiology, Institute for Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Prague, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wohlfahrt
authors.affiliation: 1] Centre for Cardiovascular Prevention, First Faculty of Medicine and Thomayer Hospital, Charles University in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic [2] Department of Preventive Cardiology, Institute for Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Prague, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Renata
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cífková
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001011:Aorta / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015233:Models, Statistical; D063177:Pulse Wave Analysis; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D059289:Vascular Stiffness / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents