Blood pressure variability is more important than blood pressure level in determination of end-organ damage in rats.

OBJECTIVE: This study was designed to determine how important a novel risk factor of elevated blood pressure variability (BPV) is in the determination of end-organ damage by comparison with the classic risk factor of a high blood pressure (BP) level. METHODS AND RESULTS: The effects of haemodynamics on cardiovascular morphology were evaluated by univariate and multivariate regression analysis in two different rat models with an enlarged distribution of haemodynamics. In male sham-operated and sinoaortic-denervated Wistar-Kyoto rats and spontaneously hypertensive rats (n = 34), BPV was more important than BP in cardiac and renal damage and aortic hypertrophy. BPV and BP had independent effects, explaining 59.4% of the variation in damage to these organs. In male (n = 44) and female (n = 46) F1 hybrids of Sprague-Dawley rats and spontaneously hypertensive rats, the greater importance of BPV than BP was further demonstrated in left ventricular hypertrophy, glomerular damage and aortic hypertrophy. The phenomenon was more evident in females than males for cardiovascular hypertrophy. BPV and BP or BPV alone had independent effects, explaining 46.9% (male) or 37.5% (female) of the variation in damage to these organs. CONCLUSION: BPV is a more critical determinant than BP level for cardiac damage, renal lesions and aortic hypertrophy in rats, strongly suggesting the significance of BPV control for the protection of these organs.

Blood pressure variability and baroreflex sensitivity are not different in spontaneously hypertensive rats and stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats.

AIM: To demonstrate and compare hemodynamic phenotypes of blood pressure (BP), blood pressure variability (BPV) and baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) in genetic hypertensive rats. METHODS: BP was recorded continuously in conscious, freely moving rats using a computerized technique. BPV was expressed as the standard deviation of beat-to-beat BP values during a 1-h period. BRS was determined by measuring the heart period prolongation in response to the elevation in BP produced by an intravenous injection of phenylephrine. RESULTS: Body weight and heart period were not different between spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR-SP) at the age of 15 weeks. The BP level was markedly higher in SHR-SP than SHR, whereas there were no significant differences in BPV and BRS. Quantitatively, systolic, diastolic and mean BP were significantly elevated by 36.9%, 42.9% and 39.5%, respectively, in SHR-SP compared with SHR (P < 0.01). However, their variabilities were elevated only by 14.0%, 0.4% and 10.1%, respectively, without statistical significance (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: BPV and BRS were not changed in parallel with the BP alterations in SHR and SHR-SP.