Assessment and management of exaggerated blood pressure response to standing and orthostatic hypertension: consensus statement by the European Society of Hypertension Working Group on Blood Pressure Monitoring and Cardiovascular Variability.

Recent evidence suggests that an exaggerated blood pressure (BP) response to standing (ERTS) is associated with an increased risk of adverse outcomes, both in young and old individuals. In addition, ERTS has been shown to be an independent predictor of masked hypertension. In the vast majority of studies reporting on the prognostic value of orthostatic hypertension (OHT), the definition was based only on systolic office BP measurements. This consensus statement provides recommendations on the assessment and management of individuals with ERTS and/or OHT. ERTS is defined as an orthostatic increase in SBP at least 20 mmHg and OHT as an ERTS with standing SBP at least 140 mmHg. This statement recommends a standardized methodology to assess ERTS, by considering body and arm position, and the number and timing of BP measurements. ERTS/OHT should be confirmed in a second visit, to account for its limited reproducibility. The second assessment should evaluate BP changes from the supine to the standing posture. Ambulatory BP monitoring is recommended in most individuals with ERTS/OHT, especially if they have high-normal seated office BP. Implementation of lifestyle changes and close follow-up are recommended in individuals with ERTS/OHT and normotensive seated office BP. Whether antihypertensive treatment should be administered in the latter is unknown. Hypertensive patients with ERTS/OHT should be managed as any other hypertensive patient. Standardized standing BP measurement should be implemented in future epidemiological and interventional studies.

Gender Differences in Cardiac Organ Damage in Arterial Hypertension: Assessing the Role of Drug Nonadherence.

INTRODUCTION: Cardiac organ damage like left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy and left atrial (LA) enlargement is more prevalent in women than men with hypertension, but the mechanisms underlying this gender difference remain unclear. METHODS: We tested the association of drug nonadherence with the presence of LV hypertrophy and LA enlargement by echocardiography in 186 women and 337 men with uncontrolled hypertension defined as daytime systolic blood pressure (BP) ≥ 135mmHg despite the prescription of at least two antihypertensive drugs. Drug adherence was assessed by measurements of serum drug concentrations interpreted by an experienced pharmacologist. Aldosterone-renin-ratio (ARR) was measured on actual medication. RESULTS: Women had a higher prevalence of LV hypertrophy (46% vs. 33%) and LA enlargement (79% vs 65%, both p < 0.05) than men, while drug nonadherence (8% vs. 9%, p > 0.514) did not differ. Women were older and had lower serum renin concentration and higher ARR than men, while 24-h systolic BP (141 ± 9 mmHg vs. 142 ± 9 mmHg), and the prevalences of obesity (43% vs. 50%) did not differ (all p > 0.10). In multivariable analyses, female gender was independently associated with a two-fold increased risk of LV hypertrophy (OR 2.01[95% CI 1.30-3.10], p = 0.002) and LA enlargement (OR 1.90 [95% CI 1.17-3.10], p = 0.010), while no association with drug nonadherence was found. Higher ARR was independently associated with LV hypertrophy in men only (OR 2.12 [95% CI 1.12-4.00] p = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Among patients with uncontrolled hypertension, the higher prevalence of LV hypertrophy and LA enlargement in women was not explained by differences in drug nonadherence. REGISTRATION: URL:  https://www. CLINICALTRIALS: gov ; Unique identifier: NCT03209154.

Effects of a social support family caregiver training program on changing blood pressure and lipid levels among elderly at risk of hypertension in a northern Thai community.

Hypertension is becoming increasingly prevalent among the elderly. Family caregivers play an important role in caring for elderly people and empowering them to care for themselves. This study's goal was to see how social support training for family caregivers affected changes in hypertension, total cholesterol, and high-density lipoprotein (HDL), and how such support led to the prevention of hypertension behaviors among the elderly in rural areas. This was a quasi-experimental study with 268 elderly people at risk of hypertension and their caregivers. Sixty seven pairs of elderly people and their caregivers were assigned to the intervention and control groups. Baseline data were collected in November 2020. The intervention group received the Social Support Family Caregiver Training Program (SSFCTP), while the control group received a regular program from the local health authority. The activity lasted 12 weeks, with home visits and telephone check-ups along the way, and data collection took place after the program ended. The final data were collected three months after the end of the intervention. An analysis of repeated measures ANOVA showed the overall effect of the SSFCTP on knowledge, self-efficacy, health care behaviors, and blood pressure among elderly people during three different time periods (p<0.05). Furthermore, the intervention program had a time-dependent effect on knowledge, blood pressure, and total cholesterol levels (p<0.05). In terms of caregiver outcomes, there was an overall difference among the degrees of knowledge, self-efficacy, and behaviors toward health care displayed by elderly hypertensive patients during the three different time periods (p<0.05). The average knowledge and self-efficacy of the participants improved after the intervention. As a result, better self-care behaviors and lower blood pressure and total cholesterol levels were observed among the elderly participants after the intervention. The programs emphasized the importance of caregivers' roles in providing social support, boosting confidence, and encouraging participation in caring, monitoring, and assisting the elderly in controlling blood pressure and other health issues.

Cardiometabolic syndrome and associated factors among Ethiopian public servants, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are increasingly becoming the global cause of premature death encompassing cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), cancer, respiratory diseases and diabetes mellitus. However, cardiometabolic risk factors in the general population, especially among the high-risk groups have rarely been assessed in Ethiopia. The study aimed to assess the prevalence of metabolic syndrome, its components and associated factors among staff in the Ethiopian Public Health Institute (EPHI). An institutional-based cross-section study was conducted from March to June 2018 among EPHI staff members. A total of 450 study participants were involved in the study, and the World Health Organization NCD STEPS survey instrument version 3.1 was used for the assessment. The biochemical parameters were analyzed by using COBAS 6000 analyzer. Statistical package for the social science (SPSS) version 20 was used for data analysis. Both bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to identify associated risk factors. p value < 0.05 was considered for statistical significance. The overall prevalence of metabolic syndrome was 27.6% and 16.7% according to IDF and NCEP criteria respectively, with males having greater prevalence than females (35.8% vs 19.4%). Central obesity, low high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and hypertension had a prevalence of 80.2%, 41.3%, and 23.6%, respectively. In multivariate analysis increasing age and having a higher body mass index (25-29.9) were significantly associated with metabolic syndromes. The magnitude of metabolic syndrome was relatively high among public employees. Preventive intervention measures should be designed on the modification of lifestyle, nutrition and physical activities, and early screening for early identification of cardiometabolic risks factors should be practised to reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases.

Home Blood Pressure Monitoring.

Home blood pressure monitoring provides important diagnostic information beyond in-office blood pressure readings and offers similar results to ambulatory blood pressure monitoring. Home blood pressure monitoring involves patients independently measuring their blood pressure with an electronic device, whereas ambulatory blood pressure monitoring involves patients wearing a portable monitor for 24 to 48 hours. Although ambulatory blood pressure monitoring is the diagnostic standard for measurement, home blood pressure monitoring is more practical and accessible to patients, and its use is recommended by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force and the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association. Home blood pressure monitoring generally results in lower blood pressure readings than in-office measurements, can confirm the diagnosis of hypertension after an elevated office blood pressure reading, and can identify patients with white coat hypertension or masked hypertension. Best practices for home blood pressure monitoring include using an appropriately fitting upper-arm cuff on a bare arm, emptying the bladder, avoiding caffeinated beverages for 30 minutes before taking the measurement, resting for five minutes before taking the measurement, keeping the feet on the floor uncrossed and the arm supported with the cuff at heart level, and not talking during the reading. An average of multiple readings, ideally two readings in the morning and again in the evening separated by at least one minute each, is recommended for one week. Home blood pressure readings can be used in hypertension quality measures.

Effects of a pharmaceutical care intervention on clinical outcomes and patient adherence in coronary heart disease: the MIMeRiC randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: In the treatment of coronary heart disease, secondary prevention goals are still often unmet and poor adherence to prescribed drugs has been suggested as one of the reasons. We aimed to investigate whether pharmaceutical care by a pharmacist at the cardiology clinic trained in motivational interviewing improves clinical outcomes and patient adherence. METHODS: This was a prospective, randomized, controlled, outcomes-blinded trial designed to compare pharmaceutical care follow-up with standard care. After standard follow-up at the cardiology clinic, patients in the intervention group were seen by a clinical pharmacist two to five times as required over seven months. Pharmacists were trained to use motivational interviewing in the consultations and they tailored their support to each patient's clinical needs and beliefs about medicines. The primary study end-point was the proportion of patients who reached the treatment goal for low-density lipoprotein cholesterol by 12 months after discharge. The key secondary outcome was patient adherence to lipid-lowering therapy at 15 months after discharge, and other secondary outcomes were the effects on patient adherence to other preventive drugs, systolic blood pressure, disease-specific quality of life, and healthcare use. RESULTS: 316 patients were included. The proportion of patients who reached the target for low-density lipoprotein cholesterol were 37.0% in the intervention group and 44.2% in the control group (P = .263). More intervention than control patients were adherent to cholesterol-lowering drugs (88 vs 77%; P = .033) and aspirin (97 vs 91%; P = .036) but not to beta-blocking agents or renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibitors. CONCLUSIONS: Our intervention had no positive effects on risk factors for CHD, but it increased patient adherence. Further investigation of the intervention process is needed to explore the difference in results between patient adherence and medication effects. Longer follow-up of healthcare use and mortality will determine if the increased adherence per se eventually will have a meaningful effect on patient health. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02102503, 03/04/2014 retrospectively registered.

Targeting Hypertension Screening in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of 1.2 Million Adults in 56 Countries.

Background As screening programs in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) often do not have the resources to screen the entire population, there is frequently a need to target such efforts to easily identifiable priority groups. This study aimed to determine (1) how hypertension prevalence in LMICs varies by age, sex, body mass index, and smoking status, and (2) the ability of different combinations of these variables to accurately predict hypertension. Methods and Results We analyzed individual-level, nationally representative data from 1 170 629 participants in 56 LMICs, of whom 220 636 (18.8%) had hypertension. Hypertension was defined as systolic blood pressure ≥140 mm Hg, diastolic blood pressure ≥90 mm Hg, or reporting to be taking blood pressure-lowering medication. The shape of the positive association of hypertension with age and body mass index varied across world regions. We used logistic regression and random forest models to compute the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve in each country for different combinations of age, body mass index, sex, and smoking status. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for the model with all 4 predictors ranged from 0.64 to 0.85 between countries, with a country-level mean of 0.76 across LMICs globally. The mean absolute increase in the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve from the model including only age to the model including all 4 predictors was 0.05. Conclusions Adding body mass index, sex, and smoking status to age led to only a minor increase in the ability to distinguish between adults with and without hypertension compared with using age alone. Hypertension screening programs in LMICs could use age as the primary variable to target their efforts.

Rapid Assessment of Blood Pressure Variability and Outcome After Successful Thrombectomy.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: High blood pressure (BP) variability after endovascular stroke therapy is associated with poor outcome. Conventional BP variability measures require long recordings, limiting their utility as a risk assessment tool to guide clinical decision-making. Here, we performed rapid assessment of BP variability by spectral analysis and evaluated its association with early clinical improvement and long-term functional outcomes. METHODS: We conducted a prospective study of 146 patients with anterior circulation ischemic stroke who underwent successful endovascular stroke therapy. Spectral analysis of 5-minute recordings of beat-to-beat BP was used to quantify BP variability. Outcomes included initial clinical response and modified Rankin Scale at 90 days. RESULTS: Increased BP variability at high frequencies was independently associated with poor functional outcome at 90 days (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.85 [95% CI, 1.07-3.25], P=0.03; low-/high-frequency ratio aOR, 0.67 [95% CI, 0.46-0.92], P=0.02) and reduced likelihood of an early neurological recovery (aOR, 0.62 [95% CI, 0.44-0.91], P=0.01 and aOR, 1.37 [95% CI, 1.03-1.87], P=0.04, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: High-frequency BP oscillations after successful reperfusion may be harmful and associate with a decreased likelihood of neurological recovery and favorable functional outcomes. Rapid assessment of BP variability throughout the postreperfusion period is feasible and may allow for a more personalized BP management.

Role of community health volunteers in identifying people with elevated blood pressure for diagnosis and monitoring of hypertension in Malawi: a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: In recent years, there has been greater recognition of the important role of community health volunteers in many countries and their important role informs many health programs. This include health education, provision of services such as screening, monitoring and referral to health facilities. Their roles are better understood in the areas of communicable diseases like HIV infection, Tuberculosis and Malaria however little is known about their role in non-communicable diseases. This study seeks to explore perception of CHVs' functions, tasks, and their fulfilment in identifying people with elevated blood pressure for diagnosis and monitoring of hypertension in Lilongwe, Malawi. METHODS: This was a qualitative naturalistic research design utilizing observation and semi-structured interviews with community health volunteers working in Lilongwe, Malawi. Interviews were carried out with the researcher. Participants were recruited from the ZaMaC project. An interview guide was developed with a category-guided deductive approach. The interviews were recorded through note taking. Data analysis was performed using content analysis approach. RESULTS: Community health volunteers have multiple roles in prevention and monitoring of hypertension. They act as health educators and provide lifestyle counselling. They screened for hypertension and monitored blood pressure and assisted community members to navigate the health system such as linkage to health facilities. These roles were shaped in response to community needs. CONCLUSION: This study indicates the complexities of the roles of community health volunteer in identifying people with elevated BP for diagnosis and monitoring of hypertension. Understanding community health volunteers' roles provides insight into their required competencies in provision of their daily activities as well as required training to fill in their knowledge gaps.

Cardiovascular toxicity of angiogenesis inhibitors and immune checkpoint inhibitors: synergistic anti-tumour effects at the cost of increased cardiovascular risk?

In the past two decades, treatment outcomes for a wide range of malignancies have improved remarkably due to the development of novel anti-cancer therapies, including vascular endothelial growth factor inhibitors (VEGFIs) and immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). Despite their unprecedented anti-tumour effects, it is becoming increasingly clear that both types of agents are associated with specific cardiovascular toxicity, including hypertension, congestive heart failure, myocarditis and acceleration of atherosclerosis. Currently, VEGFI and ICI combination therapy is recommended for the treatment of advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and has shown promising treatment efficacy in other tumour types as well. Consequently, VEGFI and ICI combination therapy will most likely become an important therapeutic strategy for various malignancies. However, this combinatory approach is expected to be accompanied by a substantial increase in cardiovascular risk, as both types of agents could act synergistically to induce cardiovascular sequelae. Therefore, a comprehensive baseline assessment and adequate monitoring by specialised cardio-oncology teams is essential in case these agents are used in combination, particularly in high-risk patients. This review summarises the mechanisms of action and treatment indications for currently registered VEGFIs and ICIs, and discusses their main vascular and cardiac toxicity. Subsequently, we provide the biological rationales for the observed promising synergistic anti-tumour effects of combined VEGFI/ICI administration. Lastly, we speculate on the increased risk for cardiovascular toxicity in case these agents are used in combination and its implications and future directions for the clinical situation.

Social and economic benefits of secondary prevention of arterial hypertension.

INTRODUCTION: Arterial blood pressure is one of the main vital signs reflecting body functions and, at the same time, the most important functional parameter of the cardiovascular system. High blood pressure is the major modifiable cardiovascular risk factor. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was assessment of the frequency of occurrence of cardiovascular risk factors, with particular consideration of arterial blood pressure. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study was conducted among 509 volunteers from Lublin in eastern Poland who participated in the prophylactic programme entitled 'White Sunday'. Standard measurements of blood pressure were performed using a TM-Z dial pressure gauge. The level of arterial blood pressure and socio-demographic parameters were analyzed. RESULTS: Hypertension was more frequently observed in the group of males than females. The age group especially vulnerable to abnormal blood pressure values were those aged 51-60. Isolated hypertension significantly more often occurred in the group of respondents who mentioned hypertension in an interview, compared to those who reported its absence. Among 367 persons who, in preliminary interview, did not declare hypertension, 60 cases of isolated arterial hypertension were noted (16.3%). From among respondents who declared absence of hypertension in an interview, the largest age group diagnosed with isolated arterial hypertension were those aged 61-70 (17.9%). CONCLUSIONS: Arterial hypertension is a civilisation disease which may be effectively prevented, simultaneously reducing the risk of premature death due to cardiovascular events, as well as reducing social and economic costs. International health organizations recommend the implementation of social screening programmes in order to diagnose high blood pressure and the promotion of routine measurements of arterial blood pressure.

Non-Adherence to Antihypertensive Guidelines in Patients with Asymptomatic Carotid Stenosis.

IMPORTANCE: Hypertension and carotid stenosis are both risk factors for stroke, but the presence of carotid stenosis might dampen enthusiasm for tight control of hypertension because of concerns for hypoperfusion. OBJECTIVE: To determine the extent to which there are opportunities to potentially improve pharmacotherapy for hypertension in patients known to have asymptomatic high-grade carotid stenosis. DESIGN: We examined anti-hypertensive medication prescription and adherence to evidence-based hypertension treatment guidelines in a cross-sectional analysis of baseline data of patients enrolled in a clinical trial. SETTING: The Carotid Revascularization and Medical Management for Asymptomatic Carotid Stenosis Trial (CREST-2) is a multicenter prospective randomized open blinded end-point clinical trial of intensive medical management with or without revascularization by endarterectomy or stenting for asymptomatic high-grade carotid stenosis. PARTICIPANTS: 1479 participants (38.6% female; mean age 69.8 years) from 132 clinical centers enrolled in the CREST-2 trial as of April 6, 2020 who were taking ≥1 antihypertensive drug at baseline. EXPOSURES: Pharmacotherapy for hypertension. MAIN OUTCOME: Adherence to evidence-based guidelines for treating hypertension. RESULTS: Of 1458 participants with complete data, 26% were on one, 31% on 2, and 43% on ≥3 antihypertensive medications at trial entry. Thirty-two percent of participants were prescribed thiazide; 74%, angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI) or angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB); 38%, calcium channel blocker (CCB); 56%, a beta blocker; 11%, loop diuretic; and 27%, other. Of those prescribed a single antihypertensive medication, the proportion prescribed thiazide was 5%; ACEI or ARB, 55%, and CCB, 11%. The prevalence of guideline-adherent regimens was 34% (95% CI, 31-36%). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: In a diverse cohort with severe carotid disease and hypertension, non-adherence to hypertension guidelines was common. All preferred classes of antihypertensive drug were under-prescribed. Using staged iterative guideline-based care for hypertension, CREST-2 will characterize drug tolerance and stroke rates under these conditions. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Number NCT02089217.

Return on investment of self-measured blood pressure is associated with its use in preventing false diagnoses, not monitoring hypertension.

Previous research indicates that patient self-measured blood pressure (SMBP) is a cost-effective strategy for improving hypertension (HTN) diagnosis and control. However, it is unknown which specific uses of SMBP produce the most value. Our goal is to estimate, from an insurance perspective, the return-on-investment (ROI) and net present value associated with coverage of SMBP devices when used (a) only to diagnose HTN, (b) only to select and titrate medication, (c) only to monitor HTN treatment, or (d) as a bundle with all three uses combined. We employed national sample of claims data, Framingham risk predictions, and published sensitivity-specificity values of SMBP and clinic blood-pressure measurement to extend a previously-developed local decision-analytic simulation model. We then used the extended model to determine which uses of SMBP produce the most economic value when scaled to the U.S. adult population. We found that coverage of SMBP devices yielded positive ROIs for insurers in the short-run and at lifetime horizon when the three uses of SMBP were considered together. When each use was evaluated separately, positive returns were seen when SMBP was used for diagnosis or for medication selection and titration. However, returns were negative when SMBP was used exclusively to monitor HTN treatment. When scaled to the U.S. population, adoption of SMBP would prevent nearly 16.5 million false positive HTN diagnoses, thereby improving quality of care while saving insurance plans $254 per member. A strong economic case exists for insurers to cover the cost of SMBP devices, but it matters how devices are used.

Socioeconomic differentials in trends in the prevalence of hypertension and pre-hypertension and hypertension awareness, treatment, and control in rural Southwestern China.

BACKGROUND: This study examines the socioeconomic differentials in trends in the prevalence of hypertension and pre-hypertension and hypertension awareness, treatment, and control in rural Southwestern China. METHODS: Two cross-sectional interviews and health examination surveys were administered in rural Yunnan Province, including 6,350 consenting participants in 2009 and 6,359 consenting participants in 2016 (aged ≥ 35 years). Participant demographics, socioeconomic status (SES), and ethnicity, along with information about hypertension awareness, treatment, and control, were collected using similar questionnaires in the two surveys. The participants' blood pressure levels were also measured. RESULTS: From 2009 to 2016, the prevalence of hypertension substantially increased from 28.4% to 39.5% (P < 0.01), and awareness and control rose from 42.2 and 25.8% to 53.1 (P < 0.01) and 30.6% (P < 0.05), respectively. Although people with a higher education level also had higher awareness and control rates than the lower education level ones, there were no conspicuous differences in the improvement of awareness and control between publics with different education levels over the 7 years studied. Increases were observed in both rates of awareness and control in people with a high level of income (P < 0.01). However, only the awareness rate increased in participants with a low level of income. Furthermore, the prevalence (P < 0.01) and treatment (P < 0.05) of hypertension were higher in the Han people than in ethnic minorities. CONCLUSIONS: Individual SES has clear associations with trends in the prevalence, awareness, and control of hypertension. Future interventions to improve hypertension prevention and control should be tailored to address individual SES.

Work-life conflict and cardiovascular health: 5-year follow-up of the Gutenberg Health Study.

INTRODUCTION: Work-life conflicts (WLC) may impact health, but few studies prospectively consider the impact of WLC on objective outcomes such as cardiovascular disease. Using data from the Gutenberg Health Study (GHS), we examined if WLC at baseline was associated with an increased five-year incidence of cardiovascular events (myocardial infarct, stroke, atrial fibrillation, peripheral artery disease, coronary artery disease, chronic heart failure, sudden cardiac death). We also considered if WLC was associated with incident hypertension and arterial stiffness and if the effects of WLC on cardiovascular health differ for men and women. METHODS: A working subsample of the 15,010 GHS cohort participants completed the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire, which included five "work-privacy conflict" questions at baseline and at the five-year follow-up. Relative risks for incident hypertension due to increased WLC at baseline (WLC scores exceeding 60 out of 100) were estimated with Poisson regression in the subgroup of participants without hypertension at baseline (n = 2426). Categories of WLC at baseline and follow-up were also used to examine the risk of hypertension due to chronic/recurrent WLC. In this subgroup, we also examined the association between WLC as a continuous score ranging from 0 to 100 with change to arterial stiffness after five years using linear regression. Hazard ratios were estimated for incident cardiovascular events in a larger subsample of participants without prevalent cardiovascular disease at baseline (n = 3698) using Cox regression. We used various multivariable regression models to adjust for sex, age, socioeconomic status, occupational, household, and cardiovascular risk factors. RESULTS: We found no association between WLC and incident hypertension or increased arterial stiffness. The fully-adjusted relative risk for WLC >60 at baseline and hypertension was 0.93 (95% 0.74-1.17). The risk of hypertension due to chronic/recurrent WLC >60 was increased but not statistically significant (RR = 1.13, 95% CI 0.83-1.54). Overall, hazard ratios for incident cardiovascular events were also not increased. However, stratifying the results by sex resulted in a hazard ratio of 1.47 (95% CI 0.54-3.98) for incident cardiovascular disease among women in the fully adjusted model. CONCLUSIONS: Although our results were not statistically significant, they indicate that WLC is negatively impacting the cardiovascular health of women. While these results need to be confirmed with additional research and a longer follow-up, interventions to prevent WLC will promote health and could be especially beneficial for women.

Association of adiposity indicators with hypertension among Chinese adults.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Obesity has been linked to the development of hypertension, but the comparison of relationships between different obesity parameters with hypertension are scarcely studied with nationally representative Chinese adults samples. We sought to compare the predictive strengths of different obesity indicators to hypertension. METHODS AND RESULTS: Data in this study were obtained from the Chinese National Stroke Prevention Project with a nationally representative sample of Chinese aged 40 years and older. A total of 162,880 individuals were included. Multi-level analyses and Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves were used to examine the risk of hypertension in relation to different obesity parameters, including body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), lipid accumulation product index (LAP), visceral adiposity index (VAI), and body adiposity index (BAI). As results, the BMI, WC, LAP, VAI, and BAI were positively associated with the risk of hypertension (P < 0.001). In total, BMI had the strongest association with hypertension when compared with other obesity indicators, and one SD up of BMI would increase the risk of hypertension by 53.9% (95% CI: 1.514-1.566). For men, WC was most associated with hypertension, and one SD up of WC would increase the risk of hypertension by 73.3% (95% CI: 1.685-1.782). For women, BMI showed the strongest predictive power, one SD up of BMI would increase the risk of hypertension by 51.0% (95% CI: 1.479-1.543). CONCLUSIONS: BMI, WC, LAP, VAI, and BAI are all positively corrected to hypertension, but gender disparities should be considered in predicting hypertension by obesity indicators.

Personalized hypertension management based on serial assessment and telemedicine (PHMA): a cluster randomize controlled trial protocol in Anhui, China.

BACKGROUND: Despite tremendous investment worldwide, hypertension treatment and control rates remain low. The complexity and long-term dynamics of influencing factors make personalized management inevitable and challenging. This protocol describes Personalized Hypertension Management in Anhui, China (PHMA), a project that uses a package of innovative approaches in tailoring interventions to individual patient's dynamic complications and contexts. METHODS/DESIGN: PHMA strives to reduce hypertension harms by eight "objective behaviors" (e.g., self-monitoring and reporting, healthy diet, physical exercise/activities). These objective behaviors are promoted through five intervention measures: support for self- monitoring, supervised machine communications, daily education or reminder messages, weekly blood pressure notification, and quarterly signed feedback. PHMA uses ten categories and over 300 variables in selecting and refining intervention procedures and content for individual patients. Efficacy of the intervention package is evaluated using a cluster randomized controlled trial design involving a total of 60 site communities and 3352 hypertension patients. Primary measure for the evaluation is systolic and diastolic blood pressure; while secondary evaluation measures include quality of life (EQ5D-5L), occurrence of hypertension-related complications (such as cerebral hemorrhage, coronary heart disease, myocardial or cerebral infarction), healthcare utilization and scores of objective behaviors. DISCUSSION: PHMA uses novel, low cost and sustainable approaches to tailor interventions to the dynamic conditions and contexts of individual patients. Unlike contemporary approaches to hypertension management which are mainly population based, each participant patient in PHMA applies a unique intervention package and all messages, feedbacks and other materials sent out to individual patients are different from each other. PHMA is the first project that adopts comprehensive tailoring and if proved effective, it should have important implications for future research, practice and policy-making. Trial registration ISRCTN10999269. July 17, 2020; https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN10999269 .