Association of blood pressure and antihypertensive drugs with diurnal alpha-amylase activity

Salivary α-amylase (sAA) has been proposed as a marker of autonomic activity, but its association with blood pressure and antihypertensive drugs (AD) is unknown. Basal sAA rhythm was assessed immediately after awakening, 30 min after awakening, 11 am, 3 pm, and 8 pm in 78 older adults. Profiles differed significantly between men and women, with men lacking the typical decrease of sAA in the morning and showing more pronounced alterations throughout the day. A higher total output of sAA was found in individuals not using AD or being hypertensive, and especially pronounced in hypertensive individuals not using AD. These data indicates a difference between normotensives and hypertensives and an association of AD with characteristics of diurnal amylase. Findings highlight the usefulness of sAA as an index of autonomic imbalance in disease, and indicate sAA as a promising candidate to non-invasively study therapeutic treatment effects.

Research Highlights
► Daily sAA activity was higher in hypertensive patients compared to normotensives.
► Antihypertensives impact daily sAA activity with non-users showing higher values.
► Daily sAA profiles differ between the sexes.
► Older men showed smaller decreases in the morning and more daily variability.
► Effects disappeared for women when re-analyzing the data for both sexes separately.