The role and chronobiometric study of ambulatory arterial pressure monitoring in hypertensive patients with a recent cerebral ischemia episode

• Published in: Recenti progressi in medicina Vol. 88; no. 9; p. 383
• Main Authors: Cugini, P, Tubani, L, Sesana, G, Capodaglio, P F, Laganà, B, Salandri, A, Petrangeli, C M, Baratta, L
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Italian
• Published: Italy 01-09-1997
• Subjects: Aged; Antihypertensive Agents - therapeutic use; Blood Pressure - drug effects; Blood Pressure Monitoring, Ambulatory - instrumentation; Blood Pressure Monitoring, Ambulatory - methods; Blood Pressure Monitoring, Ambulatory - statistics & numerical data; Chronobiology Phenomena; Female; Humans; Hypertension - drug therapy; Hypertension - physiopathology; Ischemic Attack, Transient - drug therapy; Ischemic Attack, Transient - physiopathology; Male; Middle Aged; Time Factors
• ISSN: 0034-1193

Essential hypertensive patients with a history of recent TIA syndrome were investigated by ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM). The aim of this trial was to verify the presence of false normotensive patients in order to optimize the secondary prevention of hypertensive cerebrovascular damage (ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke). This study was carried out on 51 patients (26 M and 25 F, mean age = 58 +/- 14 yrs) and 225 clinically healthy control subjects (113 M and 112 F, mean age = 55 +/- 12 yrs), who underwent an ABPM. The BP time series were analyzed by chronobiometric procedures. The comparison of the individual BP within-day values to the reference limit revealed a highly significant proportion of these patients (90%) whose hypertension was not well controlled. Their BP series showed supranormal values ranging from 39% to 56% of all the readings, with a pressure excess ranging from 8.35 h to 11.34 h. The high incidence of not adequately treated patients with a history of recent TIA syndrome confirms that their hypertension should be controlled by means of the ABPM. These results suggest that the chronomodulation of the antihypertensive treatment might be the better management of BP regimen in these patients for the secondary prevention of cerebrovascular damage.