Title:Central Blood Pressure and Prediction of Cardiovascular Events
VOLUME: 8 ISSUE: 2
Author(s):Junichiro Hashimoto and Sadayoshi Ito
Affiliation:Department of Blood Pressure Research, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Seiryo-cho, Aobaku, Sendai 980-8574, Japan.
Keywords:Central blood pressure, pulse wave, coronary heart disease, chronic kidney disease, cardiovascular outcome,
prospective study, wave reflection, augmentation index, aortic stiffness, arteriosclerosis
Abstract:Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death worldwide. Hypertension is a major contributor to
cardiovascular risk, and the blood pressure serves as an important biomarker of the diagnosis, prognosis and treatment.
Compared with the blood pressure conventionally measured in the brachial artery, the blood pressure in the central aorta is
more strongly influenced by aortic stiffness and peripheral wave reflection, both of which relate to cardiovascular risk
independently of the brachial blood pressure. The central blood pressure corresponds to the pressure exerted at the level of
the heart, brain and kidney, and its elevation inevitably causes the simultaneous progression of vascular damage in these
target organs, eventually leading to adverse outcomes due to cardiovascular, cerebrovascular and renal diseases. This
review will focus on the current evidence as to the predictive value of central blood pressure measures in relation to
cardiovascular events and also on the possible pathophysiological mechanisms connecting central hemodynamics and
cardiovascular disease.
