Posted by ed_uk on July 1, 2005, at 12:07:43 [reposted on July 2, 2005, at 1:16:11 | original URL]
Half of patients with mild to moderate hypertension show an early morning blood pressure (BP) surge of 25mmHg or more, which could increase their risk of cardiovascular events, warned researchers at last week’s European Meeting on Hypertension held in Milan.
The PRISMA I and II studies assessed a total of 1,358 patients with mild to moderate hypertension (without other cardiovascular risk factors such as uncontrolled type 2 diabetes) using 24-hour ambulatory BP monitoring (ABPM). Results showed the mean early morning blood pressure surge was 26/23mmHg, with half of the patients having a surge of 25mmHg or more.
One of the researchers, Bryan Williams, professor of medicine, University of Leicester, and a member of the British Hypertension Society committee, said the findings underlined the importance of achieving 24-hour control of blood pressure to reduce the risk of cardiovascular events. He said: “There is a strong correlation between the early morning BP surge and clinical events. Since it is not practical to monitor every patient with ABPM to check their BP is well controlled in the early morning, the best option is a treatment regimen that provides effective 24-hour BP control.”
Further data from the studies showed that treatment with the long-acting angiotensin receptor blocker telmisartan (Micardis), which has a 24-hour half life, reduced the early morning BP surge.Patients treated with telmisartan (80mg) taken once a day in the morning, showed a 12mmHg reduction in systolic blood pressure during the early hours compared with 7.9mmHg for the angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor ramipril (10mg) (P<0.0001).
poster:ed_uk
thread:522392
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/health/20050411/msgs/522392.html