Association between self-measured blood pressure variability at home and cold pressor test in elderly patients with mild-moderate EH

Objective To study the association between self-measured blood pressure variability at home and cold pressor test(CPT)in elderly patients with mild-moderate essential hypertension.Methods Two hundred and fifty-nine elderly patients with mild-moderate essential hypertension selected from Lanshan District of Linyi City,Shandong Province,China in May 2012-August 2013 were included in this study.The paitnts measured their blood pressure at home for 7days.Their systolic blood pressure(SBP)and diastolic blood pressure(DBP)variabilities and mean heart rate were calculated for the later 6days.The patients who underwent CPT were divided into positive CPT group(n=116)and negative CPT group(n=143).Results The difference in morning DBP,SD of SBP and DBP,maximum SBP and DBP,morning and evening SBP and DBP,maximum and minimum SBP and DBP,and mean heart rate was significantly higher while the evening SBP and DBP were significantly lower in positive CPT group than in negative CPT group(P0.05).Logistic regression analysis showed that the SBP variability at 0and 60 swas the major factor for the SD of SBP and DBP,morning and evening SBP and DBP,maximum and minimum SBP and DBP.Conclusion Self-measured blood pressure variability at home is related with the response to CPT in elderly patients with mild-moderate essential hypertension.The stronger the response to CPT is,the greater the blood pressure variability is.