title: Use of noninvasive procedures in the cardiovascular risk assessment of hypertensive and normotensive individuals.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Arterial hypertension is associated with a high prevalence of vascular alterations. The use of noninvasive procedures to assess peripheral arterial diseases in the ranking of cardiovascular risks has been increasingly valued in clinical practice and should be adopted in nursing.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To identify the cardiovascular risk of hypertensive and normotensive individuals through the use of different noninvasive procedures to assess the vascular function and integrity: ankle-brachial index, pulse pressure, and delta brachial-brachial and delta ankle-brachial indexes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Quantitative, descriptive, and cross-sectional study undertaken at a health service in a Brazilian city. The research variables were age, sex, blood pressure, abdominal circumference, body mass index, ankle-brachial index, pulse pressure, and delta brachial-brachial and delta ankle-brachial indexes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifty-four (43.1%) normotensive and 69 (56.9%) hypertensive individuals participated in the study. Alterations were identified in ankle-brachial index, corresponding to mild and moderate arterial obstruction, among hypertensive individuals only (7.2%), with higher pulse pressure indices (P < 0.0001). The assessment of the correlation between the ankle-brachial index and pulse pressure showed no correlation in the normotensive group and a statistically significant correlation among hypertensive patients (Pearson's coefficient = -0.45, P < 0.0001, r(2) = 0.21). A statistically significant difference (P < 0.05) was found in the analysis of the mean delta brachial-brachial (6.2 ± 0.71 mm Hg for normotensive and 10.16 ± 1.45 mm Hg for hypertensive individuals) and delta ankle-brachial index (0.06 ± 0.01 for normotensive and 0.11 ± 0.01 for hypertensive individuals).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The use of the proposed cardiovascular risk predictors shows more frequent alterations among hypertensive than normotensive individuals.
authors.affiliation: University of São Paulo at Ribeirão Preto College of Nursing, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Adrielle Naiara
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Toneti
authors.affiliation: University of São Paulo at Ribeirão Preto College of Nursing, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Dayana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Freitas
authors.affiliation: Federal University of Uberlândia, Uberlândia, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Patrícia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Magnabosco
authors.affiliation: University of São Paulo at Ribeirão Preto College of Nursing, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Bruna Francielle
authors.initials: BF
authors.lastname: Toneti
authors.affiliation: University of São Paulo at Ribeirão Preto College of Nursing, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Daniel Martinez
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Lana
authors.affiliation: General and Specialized Nursing Department, University of São Paulo at Ribeirão Preto College of Nursing, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Simone
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: de Godoy
authors.affiliation: General and Specialized Nursing Department, University of São Paulo at Ribeirão Preto College of Nursing, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil. Electronic address: lmarchi@eerp.usp.br.
authors.forename: Leila Maria
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Marchi-Alves
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D055109:Ankle Brachial Index / Q000379:methods; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D001795:Blood Pressure Determination / Q000379:methods*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors