Korean J Med.
2009 Apr;76(4):389-397.
Future trends in measuring blood pressure: Central pressure, pulse wave velocity, and pulse wave analysis
- Affiliations
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- 1Cardiovascular Center, Korea University College of Medicine, Guro Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
Abstract
- The 2007 European Society of Hypertension/European Society of Cardiology guidelines acknowledged that the central (aortic) blood pressure (BP), which is the pressure exerted on the heart and brain, may differ from the pressure that is measured at the arm. They also recognized that central pressure may predict outcome in specific populations and is affected differently by antihypertensive drugs. These guidelines also regarded an increased carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity as subclinical organ damage and classified increased arterial stiffness into high/very-high risk. Clinical studies have indicated that the central BP and central hemodynamics (aortic stiffness, augmentation index) are important components in the determination of cardiovascular risk in some patients. More importantly, recent large-scale trials have shown that central hemodynamics may constitute a worthwhile treatment target. In addition, central hemodynamics can now be assessed reliably noninvasively with a number of devices. Accordingly, because arterial stiffness and central hemodynamics are markers and manifestations of organ damage, they independently predict future cardiovascular events.
