Aortic blood pressure and arterial stiffness in patients with controlled resistant and non-resistant hypertension

Abstract

The purpose of the current study was to determine whether aortic blood pressure (BP) and arterial stiffness are greater in patients with controlled resistant hypertension (RHTN) than controlled non-resistant hypertension (non-RHTN) despite similar clinic BP level. Participants were recruited from University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Hypertension Clinic. Controlled hypertension was defined as automated office BP measurement with BP < 135/85 mm Hg. A total of 141 participants were evaluated by pulse wave analysis (PWA) and carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cf-PWV). Among them, 75 patients had controlled RHTN with use of 4 or more antihypertensive medications and 56 patients had controlled non-RHTN with use of 3 or less antihypertensive medications. Compared to patients with controlled non-RHTN, those with controlled RHTN were more likely to be African American and had a higher prevalence of diabetes mellitus and congestive heart failure. The mean number of antihypertensive medications was greater in patients with controlled RHTN (4.4 ± 0.8 vs 2.3 ± 0.7, P