Amsterdam, Sept. 30 (SANA) Greater fluctuations in blood pressure between medical visits may be associatedwith an increased risk of stroke and death, according to a study of more than 57,000 people.
The study, presented at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) annual meeting, analyzed data from 57,611 UK Biobank participants whose blood pressure was measured at an initial assessment and at least one subsequent visit.
Researchers from Amsterdam University Medical Center examined “blood pressure variability,” or changes in readings between visits, rather than relying solely on average blood pressure.
Over a median follow-up of 5.1 years, 571 participants had a stroke and 1,460 died. Greater variability across the blood pressure measures studied was associated with a higher risk of death, while variability in some measures was also linked to stroke.
Participants with type 2 diabetes and high systolic blood pressure variability had nearly three times the risk of death compared with those with normal blood glucose and low variability. No statistically significant association with dementia remained after statistical correction.
Researchers cautioned that the findings show an association rather than cause and effect, and said further research is needed to determine whether blood pressure variability could be useful in assessing patients’ health risks.
T.S /M.F
