Central Blood Pressure: Current Evidence and Clinical Importance

Overview

Journal Eur Heart J

Publisher Oxford University Press

Specialty Cardiology & Vascular Diseases

Date 2014 Jan 25

PMID 24459197

Citations 253

Authors

Carmel M Mceniery

John R Cockcroft

Mary J Roman

Stanley S Franklin

Ian B Wilkinson

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Pressure measured with a cuff and sphygmomanometer in the brachial artery is accepted as an important predictor of future cardiovascular risk. However, systolic pressure varies throughout the arterial tree, such that aortic (central) systolic pressure is actually lower than corresponding brachial values, although this difference is highly variable between individuals. Emerging evidence now suggests that central pressure is better related to future cardiovascular events than is brachial pressure. Moreover, anti-hypertensive drugs can exert differential effects on brachial and central pressure. Therefore, basing treatment decisions on central, rather than brachial pressure, is likely to have important implications for the future diagnosis and management of hypertension. Such a paradigm shift will, however, require further, direct evidence that selectively targeting central pressure, brings added benefit, over and above that already provided by brachial artery pressure.

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