Arterial stiffness is associated with increase in blood pressure over time in treated hypertensives

Arterial stiffness is associated with incident hypertension. We hypothesized that measures of arterial stiffness would predict increases in systolic (SBP), mean (MAP), and pulse pressure (PP) over time in treated hypertensives. Blood pressure (BP) was measured a mean of 8.5 ± 0.9 years apart in 414 non-Hispanic white hypertensives (mean age, 60 ± 8 years; 55% women). The average of three supine right brachial BPs was recorded. Measures of arterial stiffness, including carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV), aortic augmentation index (AIx), and central pulse pressure (CPP), were obtained at baseline by applanation tonometry. We performed stepwise multivariable linear regression analyses adjusting for potential confounders to assess the associations of arterial stiffness parameters with BP changes over time. SBP, MAP, and PP increased in 80% of participants. After adjustment for covariates listed, cfPWV (m/s) was associated with increases in SBP (β ± standard error [SE], 0.71 ± 0.31) and PP (β ± SE, 1.09 ± 0.27); AIx (%) was associated with increases in SBP (β ± SE, 0.23 ± 0.10) and MAP (β ± SE, 0.27 ± 0.07); and CPP (mmHg) was associated with increases in SBP (β ± SE, 0.44 ± 0.07), MAP (β ± SE, 0.24 ± 0.05), and PP (β ± SE, 0.42 ± 0.06) over time (P ≤ .02 for each). In conclusion, arterial stiffness measures were associated with longitudinal increases in SBP, MAP, and PP in treated hypertensives.