title: Guiding Hypertension Management Using Central Blood Pressure: Effect of Medication Withdrawal on Left Ventricular Function.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Central blood pressure (BP) is an acknowledged contributor to end-organ damage and independent determinant of prognosis. Primary analysis from the BPGUIDE study demonstrated no detriment on left ventricular (LV) structure from central BP-guided hypertension management, despite significant medication withdrawal. However, the effect of this on LV function has not been investigated. In this study, we sought to investigate the impact of central BP-guided hypertension management on LV systolic and diastolic performance.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 286 enrollees with uncomplicated hypertension were randomized to therapeutic decisions guided by best-practice usual care (UC) or, in addition, by central BP intervention (CBP) for 12 months. Each participant underwent baseline and follow-up 2-dimensional echocardiography, with assessment undertaken by an expert blinded to participant allocation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Antihypertensive medication quantity remained unchanged for UC but significantly decreased with intervention. However, no significant between-group differences were noted for changes during follow-up in both brachial and central BP, as well as other central hemodynamic parameters: augmentation index and augmented pressure. Similarly, there were no differences between groups in parameters of LV diastolic function: tissue e' velocity (∆UC vs. ∆CBP; P = 0.27) and E/e' ratio (∆UC vs. ∆CBP; P = 0.60), and systolic parameters: LV longitudinal strain (∆UC vs. ∆CBP; P = 0.55), circumferential strain (∆UC vs. ∆CBP; P = 0.79), and ejection fraction (∆UC vs. ∆CBP; P = 0.15).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Hypertension management guided by central BP, resulting in significant withdrawal of medication to maintain appropriate BP control, had no adverse effect on LV systolic or diastolic function. Clinical trials registration: Australia New Zealand Clinical Trial Registry Number ACTRN12608 000041358.
authors.affiliation: Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia; Wroclaw Medical University, Wroclaw, Poland;
authors.forename: Wojciech
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kosmala
authors.affiliation: Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia;
authors.forename: Thomas H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Marwick
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Princess Alexandra Hospital, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia;
authors.forename: Tony
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Stanton
authors.affiliation: Australia National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia.
authors.forename: Walter P
authors.initials: WP
authors.lastname: Abhayaratna
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Princess Alexandra Hospital, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia;
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stowasser
authors.affiliation: Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia; James.Sharman@menzies.utas.edu.au.
authors.forename: James E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Sharman
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001794:Blood Pressure; D000066491:Clinical Decision-Making / Q000379:methods*; D019468:Disease Management; D004452:Echocardiography; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler; D005260:Female; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010347:Patient Care Planning; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents
keywords: blood pressure; clinical trial; echocardiography; essential hypertension; hypertension; left ventricular function; management.