Detection of blood pressure increments in active elderly individuals: The role of ambulatory blood pressure monitoring

• Published in: Nutrition, metabolism, and cardiovascular diseases Vol. 24; no. 8; pp. 914 - 920
• Main Authors: Maselli, M, Giantin, V, Franchin, A, Zanatta, F, Sarti, S, Corradin, M.L, Tramontano, A, Stifani, B, Sergi, G, Manzato, E
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 01.08.2014
• Subjects: Active elders; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring; Basal Metabolism; Blood Pressure; Blood Pressure Monitoring, Ambulatory - methods; Body Composition; Body Mass Index; Body Weight; Cardiovascular; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Hypertension - diagnosis; Male; Masked hypertension; Motor Activity; Physical activity; Prevalence; Prospective Studies; Risk Factors; Serum Albumin - metabolism; Waist Circumference; ABPM; PP; normotension or return to normotension due to drug therapy; Physical activity; NT; Masked hypertension; FM; fat mass; fat-free mass; dual energy X-ray absorptiometry; FFM; Body composition; Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring; resting energy expenditure; office blood pressure measurements; MHT; SP; SHT; pulse pressure; sphygmomanometer; white coat hypertension; mean arterial pressure; WCHT; REE; OBPM; DEXA; sustained hypertension; Active elders; MAP
• ISSN: 0939-4753; 1590-3729
• DOI: 10.1016/j.numecd.2014.01.003

Abstract Background and aims Physiological aging can lead to an increase in blood pressure (BP) over time even in regularly exercising elders. Office BP measurements (OBPM) might be unable to detect these BP variations. The aim of this study was to analyze BP changes over 3.5 years in active elders using ABPM. Methods and results The study involved 80 active subjects ≥65 years old who exercised regularly. At baseline and again 3.5 years later, all subjects had lab tests, weight, body mass index (BMI), body composition, resting energy expenditure (REE) recorded; they underwent OBPM, ABPM and physical activity assessment. Over 3.5 years, our sample's mean weight, BMI, body composition, REE, albumin, and physical activity levels, did not change significantly. The prevalence of hypertension detected by OBPM dropped from 68.8% to 61.3%. ABPM revealed an increase in mean 24-h BP (Δsystolic: 5.3 ± 13.6 mmHg; p  = 0.001; Δdiastolic: 1.8 ± 6.7 mmHg; p  = 0.018) and mean daytime BP (Δsystolic: 5.8 ± 13.5 mmHg; p  = 0.001; Δdiastolic: 1.9 ± 7.1 mmHg; p  = 0.022); the prevalence of hypertension detected by ABPM increased from 50% to 65%, also due to an increase (from 8.8% to 16.3%) in masked hypertension. There was no correlation between BP changes and changes in body composition and REE. Conclusion BP tends to increase over time in active elders, regardless of changes in body composition or level of physical activity. ABPM is an appropriate method for detecting these BP variations in active elders and to reveal cases of masked hypertension that might otherwise escape detection by OBPM.