Yonsei Med J.  2014 Mar;55(2):374-378.

Relationship between Blood Pressure Variability and the Quality of Life

• Sung J
• Woo JM
• Kim W
• Lim SK
• Chung AS

Abstract

PURPOSE
Blood pressure variability (BPV) is emerging as an important cardiovascular prognostic factor in addition to average blood pressure level. While there have been some suggestions for the determinants of the blood pressure variability, little is known about the relationship between the blood pressure variability and health-related quality of life (QOL).
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Fifty-six men and women with mild hypertension were enrolled from local health centers in Republic of Korea, from April to October 2009. They self-monitored their blood pressure twice daily for 8 weeks. Pharmacological treatment was not changed during the period. Standard deviation and coefficient of variation of blood pressure measurements were calculated as indices of BPV. Measurements of QOL were done at initial and at 8-week follow-up visits.
RESULTS
Study subjects had gender ratio of 39:41 (male:female) and the mean age was 64+/-10 years. The mean home blood pressure's at week 4 and 8 did not differ from baseline. Total score of QOL at follow-up visit and change of QOL among two measurements were negatively correlated to BPV indices, i.e., higher QOL was associated with lower BPV. This finding persisted after adjustment for age, gender and the number of antihypertensive agents. Among dimensions of QOL, physical, mental and hypertension-related dimensions were associated particularly with BPV.
CONCLUSION
QOL may be a significant determinant of BPV. Improvement of QOL may lead to favorable changes in BPV.

Keyword

Blood pressure variability; quality of life; hypertension

MeSH Terms

Antihypertensive Agents
Blood Pressure*
Female
Follow-Up Studies
Humans
Hypertension
Male
Methods
Quality of Life*
Republic of Korea
Antihypertensive Agents

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Scattergram showing the association between blood pressure variability [coefficient of variation of systolic blood pressure (CV of SBP)] and the total score of quality of life.

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