Content and delivery preferences for information to support the management of high blood pressure.

Blood pressure(BP) management interventions have been shown to be more effective when accompanied by appropriate patient education. As high BP remains poorly controlled, there may be gaps in patient knowledge and education. Therefore, this study aimed to identify specific content and delivery preferences for information to support BP management among Australian adults from the general public. Given that BP management is predominantly undertaken by general practitioners(GPs), information preferences to support BP management were also ascertained from a small sample of Australian GPs. An online survey of adults was conducted to identify areas of concern for BP management to inform content preferences and preferred format for information delivery. A separate online survey was also delivered to GPs to determine preferred information sources to support BP management. Participants were recruited via social media. General public participants (n = 465) were mostly female (68%), >60 years (57%) and 49% were taking BP-lowering medications. The management of BP without medications, and role of lifestyle in BP management were of concern among 30% and 26% of adults respectively. Most adults (73%) preferred to access BP management information from their GP. 57% of GPs (total n = 23) preferred information for supporting BP management to be delivered via one-page summaries. This study identified that Australian adults would prefer more information about the management of BP without medications and via lifestyle delivered by their GP. This could be achieved by providing GPs with one-page summaries on relevant topics to support patient education and ultimately improve BP management.

Regular brief interruptions to sitting after a high-energy evening meal attenuate glycemic excursions in overweight/obese adults.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Modern Western lifestyles are characterized by consumption of approximately 45% of total daily energy intake at the evening meal, followed by prolonged sitting while watching television (TV), which may deleteriously impact glycemic control. After a high-energy evening meal (dinner), we examined whether regular, brief activity bouts during TV commercial breaks could acutely lower postprandial glucose and insulin responses in overweight/obese adults, compared to prolonged uninterrupted sitting. METHODS AND RESULTS: Nine overweight/obese adults (29.7 ± 4.06 kg m-2; aged 32 ± 3 years; 5 male) completed two laboratory-based conditions of three and a half hours: prolonged sitting during TV viewing (SIT); and, prolonged sitting interrupted every 20 min with 3 min of light-intensity body-weight resistance activities (active commercial breaks; ACBs). Venous postprandial glucose and insulin responses to dinner were calculated as positive incremental area under the curve (iAUC) from baseline. Interstitial glucose was measured using a continuous glucose monitor and quantified as total AUC (tAUC). Compared to SIT, plasma glucose iAUC was reduced by 33% [3.4 ± 1.0 vs 5.1 ± 1.0 (mean ± SEM) mmol h·L-1, p = 0.019] and plasma insulin iAUC by 41% (813 ± 224 vs 1373 ± 224, p = 0.033 pmol h·L-1) for the ACB condition. During the ACB condition there was a significant reduction in interstitial glucose tAUC (24.4 ± 5.2 vs 26.9 ± 5.2 mmol h·L-1, p < 0.001), but this did not persist beyond the laboratory observation period. CONCLUSIONS: Regular brief light-intensity activity bouts can attenuate glycemic responses during television viewing time following a high-energy evening meal in overweight/obese adults.

Brachial-to-radial systolic blood pressure amplification in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Brachial-to-radial-systolic blood pressure amplification (Bra-Rad-SBPAmp) can affect central SBP estimated by radial tonometry. Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) have vascular irregularities that may alter Bra-Rad-SBPAmp. By comparing T2DM with non-diabetic controls, we aimed to determine the (1) magnitude of Bra-Rad-SBPAmp; (2) haemodynamic factors related to Bra-Rad-SBPAmp; and (3) effect of Bra-Rad-SBPAmp on estimated central SBP. Twenty T2DM (64±8 years) and 20 non-diabetic controls (60±8 years; 50% male both) underwent simultaneous cuff deflation and two-dimensional ultrasound imaging of the brachial and radial arteries. The first Korotkoff sound (denoting SBP) was identified from the first inflection point of Doppler flow during cuff deflation. Bra-Rad-SBPAmp was calculated by radial minus brachial SBP. Upper limb and systemic haemodynamics were recorded by tonometry and ultrasound. Radial SBP was higher than brachial SBP for T2DM (136±19 vs 127±17 mm Hg; P<0.001) and non-diabetic controls (135±12 vs 121±11 mm Hg; P<0.001), but Bra-Rad-SBPAmp was significantly lower in T2DM (9±8 vs 14±7 mm Hg; P=0.042). The product of brachial mean flow velocity × brachial diameter was inversely and independently correlated with Bra-Rad-SBPAmp in T2DM (ß=-0.033 95% confidence interval -0.063 to -0.004, P=0.030). When radial waveforms were calibrated using radial, compared with brachial SBP, central SBP was significantly higher in both groups (T2DM, 116±13 vs 125±15 mm Hg; and controls, 112±10 vs 124±11 mm Hg; P<0.001 both) and there was a significant increase in the number of participants classified with 'central hypertension' (SBP⩾130 mm Hg; P=0.004). Compared with non-diabetic controls, Bra-Rad-SBPAmp is significantly lower in T2DM. Regardless of disease status, radial SBP is higher than brachial SBP and this results in underestimation of central SBP using brachial-BP-calibrated radial tonometry.

Ambulatory and central haemodynamics during progressive ascent to high-altitude and associated hypoxia.

High-altitude hypoxia causes major cardiovascular changes, which may result in raised resting brachial blood pressure (BP). However, the effect of high-altitude hypoxia on more sensitive measures of BP control (such as 24 h ambulatory BP and resting central BP) is largely unknown. This study aimed to assess this and compare high-altitude responses to resting brachial BP, as well as determine the haemodynamic correlates of acute mountain sickness (AMS) during a progressive trekking ascent to high-altitude. Measures of oxygen saturation (pulse oximetry), 24 h ambulatory BP, resting brachial and central BP (Pulsecor) were recorded in 10 adults (aged 27±4, 30% male) during a 9-day trek to Mount Everest base camp, Nepal. Data were recorded at sea level (stage 1; <450 m above sea level (ASL)) and at progressive ascension to 3440 m ASL (stage 2), 4350 m ASL (stage 3) and 5164 m ASL (stage 4). The Lake Louise score (LLS) was used to quantify AMS symptoms. Total LLS increased stepwise from sea level to stage 4 (0.3±0.7 vs 4.4±2.0, P=0.012), whereas oxygen saturation decreased to 77±9% (P=0.001). The highest recordings of 24 h ambulatory, daytime, night time, brachial and central systolic BP and diastolic BP were achieved at stage 3, which were significantly greater than at sea level (P<0.005 for all). Twenty-four-hour ambulatory heart rate (HR) and night HR correlated with oxygen saturation (r=-0.741 and -0.608, both P<0.001) and total LLS (r=0.648 and r=0.493, both P<0.001). We conclude that 24 h ambulatory BP, central BP and HR are elevated during high-altitude hypoxia, but AMS symptoms are only related to tachycardia.

Persistent elevation of central pulse pressure during postural stress in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

An abnormal increase or decrease in blood pressure (BP) in response to postural stress is associated with increased risk of developing hypertension and stroke. However, the haemodynamic responses contributing to changes in central BP with postural stress are not well characterised. We aimed to determine this in controls compared to patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), whom we hypothesised would have an abnormal postural response. 41 participants (20 control, 21 T2DM) underwent measurement of brachial and central BP (by radial tonometry), with simultaneous bioimpedance cardiography (to determine stroke volume (SV) and cardiac output (CO)) and heart rate variability in seated and standing postures. Systemic vascular resistance (SVR; mean arterial pressure/CO), and arterial elastance (EA; end systolic pressure/SV) were calculated. Postural changes were defined as seated minus standing values. Central pulse pressure (PP) was higher in patients with T2DM and did not change from seated-to-standing positions, whereas there was a significant decrease upon standing in controls (P<0.05). The change in central systolic BP (SBP) correlated with change in SVR and EA in controls (r=0.67 and 0.68, P<0.05, respectively), but not in patients with T2DM (r=-0.05 and r=0.03, P>0.05, respectively). SV was the only significant correlate of change in central SBP in T2DM patients (r=0.62, P<0.05) and this was not observed in controls (r=-0.08 P>0.05). We conclude that central haemodynamic responses to postural stress are altered in patients with T2DM and result in persistent elevation of central PP while standing. This may contribute to increased cardiovascular risk associated with T2DM.