Screening for hypertension in adults - the use of tonometric blood pressure monitoring.

OBJECTIVES: Arterial hypertension increases the risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Reliable screening tools for diagnosing hypertension are important to ensure correct risk stratification of subjects. In this study, we aimed to analyse if a wrist-worn device using a tonometric technique for measuring of 24-hour blood pressure could be used to diagnose hypertension and non-dipping. A conventional device using oscillometric measurements was used as golden standard. Secondary aim was to compare the degree of discomfort related to monitoring with the two devices. METHODS: In 89 subjects with a history of normal blood pressure and naive to ambulatory BP monitoring (ABPM), 24-hour ABPM was measured simultaneously with A&D TM2430 (oscillometric technique) and BPro (tonometric technique). RESULTS: When comparing measurements from the two devices, we found that the tonometric device misclassified 46% of hypertensive subjects and 69% of non-dippers. The tonometric device measured significantly lower systolic 24-hour and daytime blood pressure. The subjects reported less discomfort related to the tonometric than the oscillometric device. CONCLUSION: Despite less discomfort related to usage of the tonometric device for 24-hour blood pressure monitoring compared to an oscillometric device, misclassification of hypertension and non-dipping makes the tonometric device inappropriate as a screening instrument.

Dietary sodium restriction reduces blood pressure in patients with treatment resistant hypertension.

PURPOSE: Patients with treatment resistant hypertension (TRH) are at particular risk of cardiovascular disease. Life style modification, including sodium restriction, is an important part of the treatment of these patients. We aimed to analyse if self-performed dietary sodium restriction could be implemented in patients with TRH and to evaluate the effect of this intervention on blood pressure (BP). Moreover, we aimed to examine if mechanisms involving nitric oxide, body water content and BNP, renal function and handling of sodium were involved in the effect on nocturnal and 24-h BP. Also, measurement of erythrocyte sodium sensitivity was included as a possible predictor for the effect of sodium restriction on BP levels. PATIENTS AND METHODS: TRH patients were included for this interventional four week study: two weeks on usual diet and two weeks on self-performed sodium restricted diet with supplementary handed out sodium-free bread. At the end of each period, 24-h BP and 24-h urine collections (sodium, potassium, ENaC) were performed, blood samples (BNP, NOx, salt blood test) were drawn, and bio impedance measurements were made. RESULTS: Fifteen patients, 11 males, with a mean age of 59 years were included. After sodium restriction, urinary sodium excretion decreased from 186 (70) to 91 [51] mmol/24-h, and all but one reduced sodium excretion. Nocturnal and 24-h systolic BP were significantly reduced (- 8 and - 10 mmHg, respectively, p < 0.05). NOx increased, BNP and extracellular water content decreased, all significantly. Change in NOx correlated to the change in 24-h systolic BP. BP response after sodium restriction was not related to sodium sensitivity examined by salt blood test. CONCLUSION: Self-performed dietary sodium restriction was feasible in a population of patients with TRH, and BP was significantly reduced. Increased NOx synthesis may be involved in the BP lowering effect of sodium restriction. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The study was registered in Clinical trials with ID: NCT06022133.

Nocturnal blood pressure decrease in patients with chronic kidney disease and in healthy controls - significance of obstructive sleep apnea and renal function.

BACKGROUND: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is often associated with a blunted nocturnal BP decrease and OSA. However, it is not fully clear whether a relationship exists between reduction in renal function and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) on the one hand and relative nocturnal BP decrease in CKD patients on the other. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between nocturnal BP decrease and renal function, the degree of OSA, vasoactive hormones, and renal sodium handling in CKD3-4 patients and healthy age-matched controls. METHODS: We performed brachial and central 24-hour ambulatory BP measurement and CRM in 70 CKD3-4 patients and 56 controls. In plasma, we measured renin, AngII, aldosterone, and vasopressin. In urine, 24-hour excretion of sodium, protein fractions from the epithelial sodium channel (u-ENaCγ), and the AQP2 water channels (u-AQP2) were measured. RESULTS: CKD patients had lower relative nocturnal BP decrease than controls: brachial (10% vs 17%, P=0.001) and central (6% vs 10%, P=0.001). Moderate-to-severe OSA was more frequent in patients (15 vs 1%, P<0.0001). Neither the presence of OSA nor eGFR were predictors of either brachial or central nocturnal BP decrease. CKD3-4 nondippers were more obese, had higher HbA1c level, and more often a history of acute myocardial infarction than CKD3-4 dippers (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: CKD3-4 patients had lower brachial and central nocturnal BP decrease than healthy controls. OSA and eGFR were not associated with nondipping in CKD patients or healthy controls. Nondipping in CKD3-4 was associated with obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. CLINICALTRIALSGOV ID: NCT01951196.

Effects of sodium nitrite on renal function and blood pressure in hypertensive vs. healthy study participants: a randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover study.

OBJECTIVE: Nitric oxide is a key player in regulating vascular tone. Impaired endothelial nitric oxide synthesis plays an important role in hypertension. Replenishing of nitric oxide by sodium nitrite (NaNO2) has not been investigated in patients with essential hypertension (EHT). We aimed to determine the effects of NaNO2 on blood pressure (BP) and renal sodium and water regulation in patients with EHT compared with healthy control study participants (CON). METHODS: In a placebo-controlled, crossover study, we infused 240 µg NaNO2/kg/h or isotonic saline for 2 h in 14 EHT and 14 CON. During infusion, we measured changes in brachial and central BP, free water clearance, fractional sodium excretion, and urinary excretion rate of γ-subunit of the epithelial sodium channel (U-ENaCγ), and aquaporin-2 (U-AQP2). RESULTS: Placebo-adjusted brachial SBP decreased 18 mmHg (P < 0.001) during NaNO2 infusion in EHT and 12 mmHg (P < 0.001) in CON (Pbetween = 0.024). Brachial DBP and central SBP decreased equally in both groups during NaNO2. In EHT, we found a decrease in U-ENaCγ during NaNO2 infusion. In both groups, we observed a decrease in fractional sodium excretion, free water clearance, and U-AQP2 during NaNO2 infusion. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated an augmented BP-lowering effect of NaNO2 in patients with EHT. We observed an antinatriuretic and antidiuretic effect of NaNO2 in both groups, and a decrease in U-ENaCγ, solely in EHT. In both groups, we detected a nonvasopressin mediated decrease in U-AQP2, which is most likely compensatory to the decline in diuresis.